If you got the same salary as your CEO – would you want to be the CEO ?

Too often, we assume everyone wants to grow : to be the next Senior Manager : or to be a huge success. Some honestly are quite happy to be where they are. They enjoy their job, they enjoy the pace, and they enjoy the ability to do other things with their time or they simply are not that ambitious. We often look at this as a negative : it is not. However, the pressure to move upwards is often down to the economics. Salaries are pegged to seniority : and unless you grow vertically you have no access to a better salary or a vehicle allowance or better medical insurance. As such, though you may not really want to grow in the traditional sense, you are compelled to : simply to make sure you have a better quality of life.

This poses two issues for organisations.

“Firstly, this means that those who you select to be your next set of managers or Senior Managers may not actually thrive in that role. Secondly, it means, as an individual, you must be ok about the fact that your earnings will be limited, because salaries and perquisites are almost always pegged exclusively to vertical hierarchies. Both problems are critical : and both needs answering : because without it, the end outcomes is disengagement or worse still, senior managers who actually are not fit to take those roles…”

From an organisational perspective, this gives rise to the much needed customisation of career paths. Often, HR departments and management as a whole, look negatively at those who don’t want to grow in the traditional way : and whose ‘heart’ is not really in the next level within the organisation – for whatever reason. Being able to have conversations and find jobs/scopes that truly augments an individuals innate strengths and passions and enable them to meet financial aspirations may well mean thinking outside the traditional and somewhat archaic job description mode and designing jobs that are more individualistic.

This certainly poses problems in larger organisations where strict job roles and associated processes are critical for scaling operations. However, in relatively smaller organisations, this can easily be done, and if done right, it acts as a very strong impetus for critical talent to not be poached because this level of personalisation and customisation will not be possible to replicated in a larger organisation. However, even in larger organisations, specially as a person matures in the organisation, it is certainly possible to look at ways of measuring and framing the value addition and your contribution in ways so that you can be financially incentivised for it : rather than the hierarchical progression being the ONLY way to make more money. Some organisations have introduced innovation and idea schemes that shares profit made out of these interventions – so that anyone within the organisation can bring true value, and profit from it, eroding the need to simply ‘grow’ in the hierarchy. Some in these organisations happily remain where they are and put all their efforts into profitable innovations, rather than climbing the proverbial corporate ladder.

From an individual perspective however, it IS important to ensure that you understand that you DO need to focus on your development, and acquire new skills. If you don’t : then : you DO need to be ok about the fact that you will not grow – and that it is your fault, rather than that of the organisation. It is wrong to expect the organisation to be ‘responsible’ for your own growth – that should be – and always is – your prerogative. Your career, and your growth should never be taken lightly, nor ‘outsourced’ to HR nor the organisation you serve.

So, be mindful that organisations are hierarchical – it is the way it is – and that you do need to adjust in order for you to achieve the advancement and growth you expect/want. Learn to read, talk to technical experts on a regular basis, volunteer for special projects, seek mentors and coaches and also, as time and money permits you, qualify yourself. Qualifications are important in today’s business contexts, though please never limit your learning to simply being qualified. Ensure you gain the required expertise as much as the qualification. Also remember to build your network, and invest in a structured and authentic building of a personal brand. Also, if your organisation offers training and development opportunities : make the absolute most of it…

Bottom line is this: If YOU don’t want to grow : no one can really help you. At the same time, just because you want to grow doesn’t mean that the organization is going to give it to you on a platter. OWN your career…. OWN your growth…. OWN you success