You own the decisions for your career moves, but what you may not realize is how much you also own in creating those career moves. I have seen far too many situations where leaders end up being defined by the role they currently have and are placed into succession plans for the next “same” role, only bigger.
Do not be defined by what is expected of you. You are the CEO of your career.
Chloe called me on a Friday afternoon, filled with anxiety. At the time, she was a vice president of finance, having been promoted the previous year. She shared that her boss, the CFO of the business unit, was leaving the company, and that she, along with two other vice presidents, had been asked to prepare to interview for his role. The issue was not that she was nervous about the interview, or that the other two colleagues were more seasoned―the issue was that she did not want to be a CFO.
Through our conversation, Chloe shared that she had lost interest in finance, and no longer felt she was growing. She had a strong interest in marketing, and felt this was an area she wanted to learn more about, and try. Like many leaders, Chloe believed that talking about her interests and her own value was self-promotion, and that felt uncomfortable to her.
She needed to reframe self-advocacy from self-interest to creating impact. Self-advocacy means not letting others put you in a box based on what they know and expect. It also means helping others make informed decisions about you.
In this situation, Chloe had not been the CEO of her career by creating potential career moves on her own. She had not expressed her interest in marketing earlier, or asked for ways to learn more about that field while she was in her finance role.
Often, our managers help us learn more and become more valuable in our current roles. At times, those same managers also see us as potential successors for their own jobs. When that happens, they may not be looking for ways to grow us outside our current “swim lane.”
To begin exploring curiosity outside your swim lane, start with conversations you intentionally create with your manager, separate from a performance review. Ask for time, then initiate the conversation with something like, “I value your ideas, and have a strong interest in learning more about marketing. How can I gain knowledge in this area while I am in my current role? Who could I spend time with to better understand how marketing approaches its work?”
By asking in this way, you are sharing your interest in marketing, while reinforcing your commitment to your current role. Asking how to learn more while staying in your role allows your manager to support your growth without concern that they are potentially losing you.
If you are not yet sure where you have interest, you can approach the conversation by saying, “Be my thought partner for a moment. Where do you see my current skills translating to other areas of the business, and how can I learn more about those areas?”
Even if you love the role you are in, you still own your growth. For Chloe, becoming a stronger finance leader higher in the organization required curiosity about the broader business. In every cross-functional meeting she would attend, she could prepare questions about other areas on the agenda to bring her voice and thinking into the room. She did not need to be an expert in another function, but leaders who demonstrate curiosity and a desire to learn tend to gain attention.
In meetings, Chloe could ask questions such as, “What data was most compelling when defining the new marketing strategy?” or “How would you like those of us outside marketing to support your strategy?” She could also approach the chief marketing officer directly by saying, “I am fascinated by the strategy you shared and excited to help you achieve it. I would value the opportunity to learn more about it and understand how I can be most helpful. Could we schedule a 30-minute coffee?”
Even if Chloe had stayed in finance, these peers in other functions would have become allies to her future initiatives.
Self-advocacy is not about ego. It helps accelerate your career and your impact, which benefits the company as well.
And by the way, Chloe is now the senior vice president of marketing at her organization.
About the Author
Carol Seymour: Global Executive, Speaker, Author and Founder of Signature Leaders
Carol Seymour is a sought-after business leader and seasoned global executive of large and mid-cap size companies and private-equity backed turnarounds.
She founded Signature Leaders in 2013 which focuses on accelerating women into next level leadership and helping leaders create greater impact and influence. Signature Leaders was recognized last year as one of Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Private Companies”.
The Signature series of leadership offerings support the growth of women from Manager level up to and including C-suite executives. Today, more than 3000 global leaders across 6 continents have experienced a Signature program. Signature Leaders partners with more than 140 market-leading companies for their selective investments.
Carol is also a Founding Member of Paradigm for Parity and named one of the Top 40 Women Keynote Speakers for 2020 by RealLeaders Magazine.
Carol resides in Cashiers, NC. She has two married children, three granddaughters, and a grandson.
