Читать книгу The Power of Choice - Michael C. Hyter - Страница 13

Although technical skills are necessary, I am continually struck by how many of us have been socialized by our families, our education systems, and even companies' professional development processes to believe that hard work and credentials are all that matter. Credentials get us in the door, and solid job expertise establishes our credibility. But technical proficiency isn't enough to earn us appreciation or get us promoted.

I recently counseled a young Asian American woman I'll call Joy. Joy worked for a well‐known consulting company as a tax consultant. She had an Ivy League education and worked sixty to seventy hours a week as a matter of course. In her group, she was recognized as the go‐to person for questions about tax law. She recognized the need to broaden her expertise if she was going to be considered for leadership positions within her organization, and she was outspoken about her frustration at being assigned to the same client with the same demand for long hours and little development opportunity. Joy was particularly bitter that a white male peer, whom she saw as being much less capable, had just been reassigned to a highly visible client engagement.

It's tempting to look at this situation and cry foul given Joy's depth of expertise and impressive work ethic. However, as we talked more, I learned that Joy seldom delegated work to others on her team. She told me, “My reputation rests on my work, and I can't risk letting someone else mess things up.” When I asked if she interacted with anyone other than her client and those on her team, she said, “Given how much work I have, I have to prioritize how I spend my time.” As her frustration grew, she was also vocal about her belief that “this company promotes incompetence.”

Let's look at this from her leaders' point of view. What incentive is there to promote someone who works tirelessly at her current level and who has demonstrated limited capacity to support and develop others? Furthermore, she comes across as cynical and bitter about the organization in general.

Joy was correct that others with less impressive credentials and time on the job were getting promoted. She made the mistake of believing that her expertise should automatically lead to expanding career opportunities—and that if it didn't, discrimination was at the root of her failure to advance. What she didn't see was that she had not provided any basis for her leaders to trust her with positions where she would influence and manage others. In addition, she had few connections who could provide access to additional opportunities and champion her candidacy.

In most organizations there are many technically proficient individuals. Decisions about who gets stretch assignments, special projects, or promotions generally involve the more subtle components of relational and influence skills.