The day has come in your career when you wake up and say to yourself, “I’m ready.” You have worked long and hard throughout your career to get to this point, and you feel you are ready to take that next step to the executive suite from director to vice president. You are ready to become one of the very few in either your own organization or another who are responsible for making key decisions on the direction of the company. You have a great deal of confidence that you can conquer the world and accomplish anything you put your mind to. After a few hours at the office, however, and a few tough meetings later, reality kicks in and you find yourself asking yourself, “Am I really ready?”
Before you start mentally packing your things for the move to the corner office and an executive leadership role, the most important characteristic you must possess must be self-awareness. How really talented and ready are you to make this move, and are you up for the challenge? There are a number of key issues one must recognize and think about before making such an important career decision.
HOW DO YOU COMPARE?
Take a look at those leaders above you or those who you aspire to be. How well do you compare to them? Does your career and skillset align well with theirs? How do you compare in career and management years of experience, professional certifications and education? One way to find out is to look at the backgrounds and career trajectory of those you aspire to be via LinkedIn. Does your career progression look similar to theirs? Take some time to review their current job descriptions and highlight those areas where you can confidently say you have similar experience or you have positioned yourself in a way where you can execute in those areas.
ARE YOU A PROBLEM SOLVER (VERSUS A PROBLEM CREATOR)?
One key characteristic of great leaders is that they know how to solve problems, regardless of how monumental the situation may be. Is this you? As a leader, you are looked upon by many in your organization as the superhero of crisis, one who can encounter a negative situation and create something positive. You must get excited about the idea of solving problems and being the hero. In order to do this, you need a tremendous amount of confidence in your ability to perform when facing challenges. You cannot be the one to add fuel to the fire with why it can’t be done or a belief that you have no idea where to begin. As a leader, you have to solve problems on a daily basis, regardless of their scope. Are you ready to take on this challenge and feel the impact that your decisions will have on the organization?
WHAT IS YOUR IMPACT QUOTIENT?
Another critical characteristic for leaders is impact. What impact have you had in your current role that has resulted in a positive change for your current organization? As a former executive recruiter for a top global talent acquisition firm, impact was an extremely important factor in my assessment of candidates as to whether or not they could perform at the next level. What did a particular candidate do that resulted in something great for their organization, and how did it differentiate them from the rest? Think about the impact that you have had throughout your career, and pick out the three or four strongest moments that are going to give you the most confidence in selling yourself for that leadership position you seek. Hiring managers want to understand your level of impact and determine whether or not you can have the same effect within their organizations. Actions speak louder than words, especially in one’s career.
There are many factors that go into determining one’s readiness for the next level, and being self-aware of your current skills and abilities is the first step in this process. The lure of the corner office is fine, and the prestige of a vice president title sounds pleasing, but are you mentally and physically ready for the leadership challenge? Your timing and impact have to be right.
Craig W. Petrus joined the Hough Graduate School of Business in June of 2009. As Director, Craig is responsible for the day-today operations of Graduate Business Career Services and ensuring the delivery of quality career development programming and services to students within the Hough Graduate School of Business at the University of Florida.