Get to Know the Other Managers Where You Work

You need to make sure that people outside your group know you, and have a generally favorable impression of you.

Of course you have to do a good job within your department, on the work and task that you have been assigned by your manager.  But this is a mere condition of continued employment.  It is necessary, but not sufficient, for you to advance your career.  To advance and succeed, you will need to get out and about.

In reality, your prospects for advancement will hinge on the extra 10% of effort you put in on things that are not part of your regular job.  (Of course this assumes that you are doing your regular job very, very well).  This extra 10% might include things like:

• Being on a cross-departmental quality audit team.
• Serving on a standards committee.
• Participating on a cost-saving task force.
• Going on customer visits to promote or support your company’s products.
• Any other similar “extracurricular” activities.

You need to be visible in order to be promoted, so finish your assigned work early so that you can be chosen for work outside your department!

Goodman Ager’s says: Every healthy and vibrant company is on a constant search for talent, and is always looking for it’s future leaders.  Most companies would prefer to hire the next generation of leaders from within.  One of the main filters that senior management will use is “can this person get along with her (potential future) peers from other departments?”  A “no” answer will dash your hopes of promotion, and a “not sure” will usually do the same.  So seek out the chance to interact outside your group.  It will help you advance your career!

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