Promotion aren’t just about moving up the ladder.
You don’t need to chase promotions and become a manager to advance in your career 😱.
Many organisations are designed in a way which endorses promotions up through a mythical ladder as the one and only route to career progression. However this isn’t true, and in many ways, this view and style of thinking makes many feel unfulfilled.
Some people don’t wish to move into a management role or what some may call a people leader. We’ve been programmed to believe that the only way to advance is to give up the daily grind work (which many of us like doing) and transition to something that we are less than excited about.
But, you don’t have to do this.
Career progression is not about promotions. It’s about being fulfilled in what you do and building skills which allow you the freedom to engage in the work you truly enjoy.
I often use the concept of the T-shaped person or skillset as an example of this. A person with T-shaped skills has deep expertise in one area and a breadth of knowledge across many areas which allow them to understand and take on many different challenges.
Some people just want to be specialists in their field, and this is where the T-shaped idea plays well. Plus, in today’s world, it is skills and not job titles which pay the bills and allow us to ensure long term employability.
So, if you think that you need to become a manager to progress in your career, think again. Reflect on the concept of building a T-shaped skillset that allows you to be a specialist and work in the areas that bring you joy.
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