If you want to progress in your career you need to take responsibility for your own self development. There may be development activities that your employer arranges for you to be involved in such as team development programs, but at the end of the day you need to make sure that you are in the best position to take advantage of any opportunities for advancement.
We are going to take a look at some of the most important skills you need to develop if you want to progress up the management ladder. Of course, you may also need to build on professional skills for your chosen career.
The importance of self-motivation
It’s not always easy to keep motivated no matter what level of the organisation you are at. That being said, if you are at a lower level you are generally have a team leader around to make sure that you remain focused on the task.
As you climb the ladder in the organisation you are expected to take more responsibility for your own work behaviors. You have to show that you are able to remain self-motivated in order to undertake your management responsibilities effectively.
Developing leadership skills
Career progression generally means climbing the management ladder. In order to do this you need to have highly developed leadership skills. You need to understand that leadership is not about micro managing every single person who you have overall responsibility for. Your task is to make sure that everyone has the skills to complete their role to a high standard.
You also need to make sure that the programs and procedures are in place to provide people with the support they need. A good leader promotes an ethos of understanding, growth and creativity so that everyone feels as though they are important to the success of the project or company.
The art of problem solving
If you have a low level of responsibility in your current role there is a good chance that the only problem you face is how to clear your outstanding work by the end of each day. Of course, this is important in itself but it’s nothing compared to the problems you may face if you progress to a higher level of the organization.
You need to be able to plan, strategize and recognize risks while mitigating against them in order to try and successfully navigate any problems which may occur. You also need to have clear knowledge of the organisation so that you can effectively utilize the resources at your disposal in order to deal with problems should they arise.
All of these areas are important when it comes to progressing in your career. You should concentrate on developing your skills in these areas as well as improving your awareness in your own profession. If you do this you will put yourself in the best possible position to take advantage of any opportunities which open up for you.