I’ve spent 25 years in the corporate workplace.
In my first full-time job, I was a billing clerk at a law firm. I had little in common with my Ivy League colleagues — including any semblance of knowledge in law.
In fact, I was 21 years old, attending school at night, and had two children under the age of two at home. But, I didn’t let that hold me back. After 15 years, I was sitting in the boardroom.
Many people say you climb the ladder when you ‘dress for the job you want.’ And, sure, that ancient adage has its place — for example, on your first day of work as the billing clerk.
But, for those who want to become a leader, Ann Taylor or Nordstroms won’t get you a seat at the table.
Neither will putting your head down and just doing the work — even if the results are exceptional.
- Did your boss notice you increased sales funnel conversions? Yes!
- Did you receive praise for completing the project within budget? Maybe.
- Did you get a promotion? No.
You’re not in grade school anymore, Dorothy.
When you’re in school, and the teacher says, ‘Do this, and you’ll get an A”, you do that, and you get an A, right? In the corporate world, even if you do everything right, you still get a C.
To earn an A, you have to go above and beyond — and become a leader before you are one.
You’re motivated. You care about the people you work with every day. And you want to be recognized for the work you do. I believe it.
But, that’s not enough.
So, here’s how to influence others and become a leader without:
- Being pushy
- Having the authority
- Compromising your values
- Or stepping on any toes
In fact, there’s only one (gentle) step…
Master the Art of Listening
A leader understands what’s important to everyone else — first.
Let’s say; you’re in the marketing department. And you need money to send people to a conference. How do you influence the financial controller?
You understand their perspective.
What are the financial controller’s objectives or goals? Listen to what’s going on in her department or what motivates her decisions. Once you’re clear on why she’s nagging you about stretching the budget, you can find common ground.
Then, give back.
Is there something you could facilitate to make her job easier? Maybe she mentions your department does X, but she hears about it after the fact, and that’s frustrating.
Become an ally.
Make an effort to resolve that issue and be a listening ear for future conflicts. Even if you didn’t get the budget increase you needed, don’t give up. Her hands really may have been tied on that one.
Either way, a foundation of loyalty, commitment, and encouragement has been laid. And, when you do this consistently (with people across all departments), you create a circle of influence.
You become somebody people seek out — they won’t know why. But, they’ll know they prefer working with you. And it’s all because you take time to understand your colleagues’ viewpoints and give back.
To climb the ladder, you’ll need those advocates. When the powers-that-be are deciding who to promote, you won’t be in the boardroom to advocate for yourself. But, maybe the financial controller will be.
More opportunities will come to you. And, before you know it, you’ll move from the day-to-day worker to a leader.
There are many ways to become a leader. But — from experience — I know that adopting this one technique can propel your efforts forward and increase your chances of promotion.
