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"Fine Wine,
Aged Cheese and Valuable Antiques"
By Hank Moore
...the steps in Executive Seasoning and Development
Wonder why it's lonely at the top? It's because few people get there...really
achieve the pinnacle of a career.
Reaching the top means being the best that you can be. It's not indicative of
occupying a certain chair in the board room.
Being "at the top" is a journey that was enjoyed. It entails
"staying power." It's analogous to working hard, getting stronger with
age and prospering due to a continuum of accomplishments.
Many folks (especially young ones who don't know any better) seemingly want
to short-circuit the dues paying process. They say that the slow track is for
chumps. They say "Been There, Done That" but are hard-pressed to list
where they've actually been and what they've really done (or the processes for
accomplishing).
Characteristics of those who will fall by
the wayside include:
- Will not listen to superiors.
- Didn't have business role models or mentors.
- Don't see the merits in being a mentor to others.
- Make a lot of excuses.
- Are not prepared.
- Cannot wait.
- Think that they know better ways.
- Seek to rise too fast.
- Would rather be an executive that "doing the work."
- Think they will get rich quick.
- Don't respect authority or the process.
- Don't see the merit of continuing education and training.
- Won't pay dues...in the office, in the community and in business organizations.
- Don't learn how or why to research.
- Persist in gossiping and blaming.
- Insufficient life experiences.
- Don't have a plan for life or career.
Earning success the old fashioned way --- through a measured apprenticeship up
the business ladder --- is still the one and only way to assure a successful
ride to the top. Characteristics of those who will "make it" and
"Go the distance" include:
- Realize that time commitments never decrease with the years.
- Motivation to excel and exceed...by reasons other than money.
- Know and acknowledge strengths...applying them in appropriate ways for best company advantage.
- Know and acknowledge weaknesses...not letting them get in the way of progress.
- Know better than to misrepresent one's self or claim expertise that is not earned.
- Realize that the more you learn will point up the need to learn more.
- Realize that there is no such thing as perfection.
- Show proper respect for those above and below them on the corporate tree.
- Show loyalty, honesty and ethics to each company-project where working.
- Create original ideas, work concepts and processes.
- Exhibit a consistent, cohesive body of work.
- Be judged by the average of work product...not rare "home runs" or "gold strikes."
- Do things in such a way as nobody else in that job could have done it.
Executive Seasoning
Because of company urgencies and industry trends, professionals may accelerate their progression,
only by small percentages each year. It is a fallacy to assume that one becomes a seasoned executive
simply because he/she wears several hats in a small organization.
Executive seasoning is time-tested. Only experience brings wisdom. One cannot fast-forward to the
executive tracks without having laid steady groundwork.
The purpose of this chapter is to show young professionals the path to the top. As years progress,
one's responsibilities do not decrease.
By contrast, the scope and complexity of a top executive's career are multiplied. One cannot fathom
being at the top until they have paid dues, learned from the journey and amassed wisdom to handle the
assignments.
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