Unlocking Career Advancement

Stepping up the corporate ladder involves more than a fancy new title; it's a metamorphosis of your professional identity. Join us, as we unravel the intricacies of this transformation, offering insights into the art of embracing discomfort and the strategic wisdom of delegating your former duties to foster team growth.

In this episode, we dissect the importance of preparation, from setting clear expectations to sculpting a 30-60-90-day plan. We also dive into the importance of stakeholder clarity and understanding the vast network of critical connections that can make or break your leadership journey.

In this episode, we discuss the following:
1. The importance of letting go of the responsibilities and mindset associated with your previous position, when transitioning to a new role or getting promoted.
2. The essence of establishing clear expectations for your new role. 
3. The reason why you need to create a structured plan for your first 30, 60, and 90 days in the new role.

This episode is sponsored by LucidPoint
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CONNECT WITH SUSIE:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susietomenchok/

CONNECT WITH JAMES:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/capps/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

Welcome to the Quick Take Podcast, the show where you get targeted advice and coaching for executives by executives. I'm Suzy Tominczuk.

Speaker 2: 0:24

And I'm James Capps. Give us 15 minutes and we'll give you three secrets to address the complex topic of issues that are challenging executives like you today.

Speaker 1: 0:35

Hey, quiksters, we're glad you're here. I'm Suzy, along with my co-host, my favorite co-host, james. How are you?

Speaker 2: 0:41

Yay, I am super good, Suzy. How are you today?

Speaker 1: 0:44

I'm good, I'm good, so I have a. As always, we just take my client meetings and we bring them to Quick Take.

Speaker 2: 0:51

So here's another one. There we are.

Speaker 1: 0:54

I have a senior executive that's going to be put into a much bigger role and she has done really good in the role that she's in and she's not quite ready for the next role, so she's insecure. Her boss does know that it's going to be a stretch for her and so we were talking about she really just needs a complete mindset shift in order for her to kind of see herself Like that's how I look at it Like she needs to see herself in this other role. And so I would love to hear because I know you give this advice a lot around what do you do when you get promoted, whether the three things you need to do right away to get and I think it's good to kind of feel uncomfortable and really contemplate this and not just smooth into it- no, and I think that's a huge thing.

Speaker 2: 1:45

You know there's we work really hard in our careers to move to the next level and there's two ways you can do that. One is a promotion and one is externally, through another job, and honestly, the promotion is harder in my mind because of there's just some intrinsic challenges that I'll talk about going from one role to another within the same company, and I think you touched on it really well which is, you know, it's more of a mindset shift than anything else. It's easy to do that when you're parking in a new parking lot or you're walking in through a different front door every day.

Speaker 2: 2:17

A promotion requires you to do some key things to ensure that you're successful in that promotion. In my mind, because I think you know it's your opportunity to really show your worth and you really need to take a proactive approach to ensuring that you're successful in that new role- and it's almost like you.

Speaker 1: 2:38

The reason it's hard is because you know how people already perceive you and how they look at you and you really, in your mindset shift. You want other people to understand this new you that you're trying to become, but you're not confident in it yet.

Speaker 2: 2:52

I totally agree and I think it's just. It's a matter of realizing that this is an opportunity for you to adjust. You know, one of the things that's so interesting about this type of situation is you work really hard to get promoted. You have to work even harder after the promotion.

Speaker 1: 3:10

I like that.

Speaker 2: 3:11

And so you feel like that you've made it and now you can coast. No, yeah.

Speaker 2: 3:15

It's like getting married. You work really hard for the wedding and think once the marriage, you're married, it's easy. But the wedding was the easy part. You now have to do the work and so the promotion. It may be self-evident and their responsibilities change, but there are other things that you have to do to ensure that you're respected, that your brand is improving, and all these things that you really have to think through. So you know a promotion, you know your first day is, you know the promotion is just the beginning. I guess is a good way to say it.

Speaker 1: 3:44

All right, so let's go to the treasure trove of James Wisdom. What's number one?

Speaker 2: 3:48

Oh gosh, james Wisdom. We'll just say it is a collective collection of collective wisdom. Okay, fair enough, but I think the first item that I always suggest is oh my gosh, quit doing your old job. Right, and you've got to cut that tie.

Speaker 2: 4:05

Now, so often people will keep doing their old thing or keep kind of reaching back and doing that, and you have to stop doing that Now. Even if your job promotion includes your old responsibilities, you really do have to think twice about what that means. In fact, you only have so much capacity, and if you are doing your old job and a new job, the capacity you have for your old work is less. So you can't do it all. You have to bring other people forward. You have to think about it as a change in even that role, and so if you aren't thoughtful about, you know, stop doing your old job, then you're going to keep doing that and you're never going to be seen differently. And so, whether it's part of your existing, your new remit or not, having a very, very specific and intentional effort to not do your old job, I think, is the most important thing that you can do.

Speaker 1: 5:00

And I will think you can say it, in order for me to really move up, I need to. I'm going to take these things that I'm doing and I'm going to gift them to my team.

Speaker 2: 5:12

Yes, and even if yes and I think that I always like to think about it as it's a um, it's there's a depth element to a role you know so, like if I have this role and I'm doing this much, but now I have more, I can only do this much in that, role.

Speaker 2: 5:26

Yes, Right and so. So it isn't so much about doing the job, it's not doing that function differently. Right? As a vice president, I was responsible for this. As a senior vice president. I can only be responsible for so much of that. Yes, and so it's an easy um assumption that other people will make that you're going to keep doing that. You have to cognitively and intentionally flip that switch, and I'm going to do that differently. How would I do that if I was a senior vice president versus the vice president? How would I do that if I was a managing director versus a director? Those that has to be very thoughtfully put down on paper and discussed.

Speaker 1: 6:04

Yeah, I think that's a great one. It's a really good one. So what's number two?

Speaker 2: 6:08

The next one is is um, it's super important and I've worked with a couple, a couple of companies that have done this really well. Um, and then there's those that absolutely have done it horribly, but absolutely working to ensure that the expectation, expectations of the role are clear. Now, in a promotion, many times you are filling somebody else's role.

Speaker 2: 6:28

Yeah, and so the expectation is simply do their job, that's that's so, um, dangerous and it is really somewhat lazy of the broader leadership team to not be more specific. Um, I started with a company that I got a 30 page PowerPoint presentation explaining the role. 30 pages and it was not boilerplate, it was specific, it had functional. It was amazing and I was shocked that that the company put that kind of effort into it. Now, the role was a very senior role, it was overseeing a very large group and they had very specific expectations and they had struggled to get someone to fill those expectations. So it was worth their time to spend what. Let's think about this 12 hours put together a presentation to ensure a a, you know, multiple hundred thousand dollar investment. It was going to pay off, absolutely worth it. So, if you're getting promoted, you've been promoted. Work hard to set the expectations with your stakeholders, whether they provided to you upfront or that you provided after the fact. Be clear, cause it's going to pay dividends.

Speaker 1: 7:33

Yeah, taking that time to really set yourself up for a success by defining that and gosh, what a great company Like, like you said, somebody from the outside would have had to have had that, gotten that context somehow, and that's why that was so valuable. Why not give that context that helps everybody the person that got the promotion and all the other people to understand what they're stepping up into.

Speaker 2: 7:57

Yep, it's so helpful. It's so helpful and I think it does again. It sets expectations for and you know what I love about those kinds of things too is so often. Actually, the group that put that deck together probably formalized their thinking at that time. Right. I suspect that that presentation was done after I was hired. Oh, interesting. But and and they had like. Now we know what we wanted, we know what.

Speaker 2: 8:20

James brings to the table. So this is what we want. Yeah, it was not just a cut and paste from the, from from the executive recruiting deck that they put together for the executive recruiter. It was oh, with the toys we now have and the people in the have and the and what, and James's skill set, this is what we need. It was incredibly impressive and I've tried to emulate that sense.

Speaker 1: 8:42

And what a great reference point for looking at progress and looking at where you're falling down as a as a leader. That's such a great thing to have, so that it's it's a cheat sheet to where you need to go at your well, you know, I'll take that one step further and that's my third item.

Speaker 2: 8:59

Again, Susie, sharing most of our brain is there's a great book that's been around for forever and it's called the first 90 days and that there were, I think we're on addition 27. I think they're now inserting a DVD into that book. I said DVD because I think there's a DVD in there and maybe now there's just a link or or who knows what. But the premise of the book is really straightforward is how can you be successful in the first 90 days of a job? I often buy that book for people who I promote and I say look, this is your new job. A, don't do your old job. B, let's set expectations. And C, I want you to put together a 3060 90 day plan as this book articulates.

Speaker 2: 9:48

I love having that 3060 90 day plan because it's always hysterical as to what you think you're going to accomplish in those 30 days, in those 60 days and 90 days, but it does give you a sense of a reference point, as you said, that you're making progress, that you are on target, that at those moments when you're in that new job and you're not feeling like you're doing anything good you're struggling to understand the technology, the product line, you're not getting along with the leadership you can go back to your 3060 90 day plan and say look, I didn't think I'd even work with this guy until day 75. I'm way ahead of schedule. Yeah, oh, good, you know it's a great, great opportunity for you to ensure that you're on target and making progress on your preconceived terms.

Speaker 1: 10:35

I also think that we don't make the space to make that planning of what we want to do, so that forces you to go. What would it be? What would it look like? What would it look like from the outside? What if I was new? How would I do this? It allows you to explore and, when you have that time, it provides creativity and agility. And then it gives you more confidence because you're going through that and you have a plan. It's great. I'm going to start using that book again with my clients.

Speaker 2: 11:03

Yeah, it's so funny too, because the people I coach and the folks on my team where I've had to do that, it's like pulling teeth. No, no, no. I mean, I want that 3060 90 day plan. Yeah, I did that. Where is it? Well, it's right here on my sticky. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I want that written down.

Speaker 2: 11:20

And yes, I've had to force folks to do it and say, look, we're not having our next conversation until I get that in my inbox. And every time not without fail at some point along the way, somebody says thank you for forcing me to do that because it is huge. It has made a huge difference and no matter what the expectations that were, no matter how you got up to that promotion, that plan is going to help you in the long run. Just really be clear on what you're trying to accomplish.

Speaker 1: 11:48

Absolutely, and it forces that mindset shift that we started from the beginning. It allows you to create that who your future self is going to be in this role, which is so important, you know, and I'm going to give one more bonus because I like to give a bonus. I love it.

Speaker 2: 12:03

And I think this one goes to that a little further, which is I always really like folks to have a relationship map.

Speaker 1: 12:12

Yes.

Speaker 2: 12:13

Because I think when you roll out, walk into a new role, it's important for you to remember who's important and who do you need to interact with. Who do you need to change your engagement with?

Speaker 2: 12:23

And I think it goes back to our first point really strongly, which is, if I'm being promoted and I have good relationships with this particular set of group of people, it's really easy for you just to work on those people. But if you sit down and articulate your 30, 60, 90 day plan and then build a relationship map and say you know what? I don't know anybody on the East Coast, I don't know anybody in this division, and you put them in your plan and your relationship map and start working, that it's going to change your mindset, it's going to force you to do it in a new way. There's nothing more interesting than looking back on both of those items after a few months to realize how your mindset has shifted, how your job has shifted and the work you've done. But I so strongly recommend that you do those two particular items to ensure that you are thinking about your role in a new way.

Speaker 1: 13:12

Yeah, and adding just a little color around your bonus. You also, when you do a network map, have like notes of where you think they will fit in your future and then you see if that fulfills what your assumption was or not and who did, and that's interesting to look back on, to learn from but also to go. Oh, super interesting.

Speaker 2: 13:34

That's so true. I was at the company where, and I remember, the three of the four board members were on my network map and I got promoted into the role and I'm like, well, I've got to get to know these board members. And you know, after 60 days I was looking at my map and, like it's so funny, I thought that they mattered. Yeah, these board members are completely not engaged. They are not. I didn't know them because nobody knows them, because they never show up.

Speaker 1: 13:58

So my mindset was that the board.

Speaker 2: 14:00

These board members were ever critical. Once I got further down the line, I was like, wow, actually these are not the power players that I thought they were. I needed to shift that and adjust. Who are the folks that I need to speak with? So I think it's always fun to look back and see how you've grown in your role, to see how you need to shift things.

Speaker 1: 14:18

You have to shift your mindset and your perceptions are going to shift, so look for those.

Speaker 2: 14:25

Absolutely Look for those. Oh, really good, really good. Yeah, those are fun ones.

Speaker 1: 14:30

All right, give us the three takeaways and the bonus. Don't forget the bonus.

Speaker 2: 14:34

Okay, don't find one, for the first one is quit doing your old job. Yeah, if you want people to see you differently, you have to act differently. To make sure those expectations are crisp, set expectations with your team, your leadership, the executives, the board, whoever it is, make sure those are clearly identified. Three put together a 30, 60, 90 day plan, so important for you to set your expectations for yourself and others, to ensure that progress is still being made. And then bonus Do we have a bonus sound effect?

Speaker 1: 15:02

Oh, let's get going Doing.

Speaker 2: 15:04

And we'll answer that.

Speaker 1: 15:07

It should be like ding ding, ding, ding ding.

Speaker 2: 15:10

I don't know. Doing was really good. The bonus item is build a relationship map so you know you're working and to build the connections and relationships with the stakeholders that you should be.

Speaker 1: 15:25

We know so many quicksters are going to get promoted soon, so that's a good one.

Speaker 2: 15:29

We hear about them all the time, so it's good. Yeah, we're at that time of year for sure.

Speaker 1: 15:32

That's a great one. Thanks, James.

Speaker 2: 15:34

Thank you. So, sissy, I was wondering, when they make the movie of the Quick Take podcast, who is going to play you?

Speaker 1: 15:44

Oh, you know, what's really hard about this question is I don't ever know anybody's names, so a lot of people come to mind.

Speaker 2: 15:52

So somebody that I'll figure it out.

Speaker 1: 15:55

Blake Lively.

Speaker 2: 15:56

Okay, and why is that? I like? Because that's the name you came up with. That's number one. I have a couple of those ones. I want to go.

Speaker 1: 16:06

You know that woman that looks like this.

Speaker 2: 16:08

And that was that's unexpected. Yeah, that's usually. You came up with a name.

Speaker 1: 16:11

Right, I came up with a name, that's fantastic, you know. I think she doesn't take herself too seriously and I don't know. I think she is expressive, she's like really gorgeous, but I won't touch that. Yeah, yeah, that was you know what the bottom line is. I love Ryan Reynolds.

Speaker 2: 16:35

Who does it? I mean. That's the connection I have to say I know very little about Blake Lively, so short of her being.

Speaker 1: 16:43

Married to Reynolds? Yes, okay, thanks for listening to this week's episode of Quick Take, where we talk about the questions that are on the mind of executives everywhere. Connect with us and share what's on your mind.

Speaker 2: 16:58

You can find us on LinkedIn, youtube or whatever nerdy place on the internet. You find your podcasts. Our links to the show are in the show notes. We appreciate you.