Senior leadership is a choice
Those who sit around the top table of any organisation only do so through choice.
It is a myth that the cream always rises to the top, and rarely the case that the senior team members represent the most talented professionals within the workforce.
There are two key reasons for this.
Genuine meritocracy?
1. There is often more to decision-making than merit. Socio-economic background, education or contacts may all have played their part in convincing someone that a candidate has more ability than proves to be the case. As we are all painfully aware, the list does not end there as demonstrated by this study on gender balance in FTSE companies or by this report on diversity in the workplace.
If a candidate happens to be a close relation of the founder then they may well not go through a rigorous application process, or indeed any process. Depressingly there is plenty of evidence that these issues remain a much bigger problem than should be the case in this day and age. I will not dwell on it here save to say that while this may make progression to the top harder than it should be for some it does not make it impossible.
2. Many of those who would make the best senior leaders (and CEOs come to that) do not apply when roles become available. This group includes those who genuinely do not want the workload, pressure and accountability which goes with a senior role or who find the challenges of middle leadership more than sufficient.
In it to win it
This latter group also includes those who are perfectly capable of handling a senior level of responsibility but they do not pursue it, and they often who fall into one or more of these sub-categories:
1. S/he participated in a leadership programme, or a one-off senior team meeting, and was put off by the confidence or behaviours displayed by some of those present. It may have generated a sense of ‘if that is who I have to be in order to succeed, it is not for me’ or ‘if that is who I have to work with round the top table I would rather stay where I am’.
2. S/he applied for a role once and felt that they did not do themselves justice in the process or that they did not enjoy it. There may be a level of embarrassment involved if it was an internal post, particularly if they performed poorly during the interview or received some difficult feedback. It could also have been a bad experience in terms of who was interviewing them, see these interesting thoughts from Forbes. All in all a candidate can be left feeling ‘I did it once and I am not going through that again’ or ‘I’ve missed that boat’.
3. S/he walks past the room where a senior team meeting is taking place with an element of mystery and wonder, as though it would all go over their head if they were in the room themselves. A variation on this theme is those who consider they would not be interested as sitting in a long meeting is alien to what they consider to be their strength on the shop floor. Typical thoughts might be ‘whatever they are talking about in there is not for the likes of me’ or ‘it does not affect what I do day to day anyway’.
4. The old adage that ‘80% of success is showing up’ is as true here as it is anywhere. Those who do not apply for senior roles cannot be appointed. Those who do not prepare thoroughly for every process are much less likely to be the candidate who receives the offer. Some may need to do more ground work than others, or carry lower levels of confidence than what they see in other candidates but the door can still open for those who prepare and persist.
Wizard of Oz moment
I have seen individuals attend their first senior team meeting, whether in a permanent role or as part of a professional development programme, and they have a Wizard of Oz moment. Is that all there is to it? I felt like I could handle it and make valid contributions. My response has invariably been yes I knew you could. For many it takes a single experience of sitting round the table to feel it is a credible option.
Much can be learned by looking at the background of those who have made it to the top. Any curious candidate can look through LinkedIn to see the background of those in senior positions in their own organisation. There will be some members whose background is much less straightforward than was imagined to be the case. This includes those who hopped from job to job, took time out or their career progression was much faster at some times than others. There may be much less of a sense that senior leaders either mapped out their route to success, or had it mapped out for them.
The cream doesn’t rise
If those who currently sit at the top tables were also the best performers within the organisations then a lot of them would be in some trouble. There is a great deal of latent talent within the middle leadership of so many workplaces, and frequently not enough confidence within too many that they can make it to the next level.
A little belief can go a long way, whether it comes from a manager or within a potential candidate, but it not an essential pre-requisite at the start of the journey. Professional development is essential and those who make the choice to invest in themselves, whether that investment is supported by their organisation or not, can reap the rewards. There is so much available for free in the form of articles, podcasts, online courses and websites, in addition to the more bespoke elements of coaching or mentoring, that anyone who wants to get started can do so.
Not linear
Whether a middle leader has been in post for 12 weeks, 18 months or 10 years they are not out of the running for promotion to a senior team at some point in their career. Some of those sitting in senior positions are not as strong, parts of their job are not as complex and the journey of getting there not as steep as may be believed. The role may well be different to how it is imagined but that is a hurdle to overcome not a barrier to progress.
Everyone at the top has made the choice to seek it out. With the right professional development and support, others who are yet to consider it is their path to take can not only get there but succeed when they do.
How can I help you?
1. One to one coaching programmes for senior leaders who are swamped by their jobs so they can thrive in life. Click here to discover where you are on your journey from Frantic to Fulfilled? Just 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a full personalised report with guidance on your next steps!
2. Team coaching programmes - working IN a team is not the same as working AS a team and yet they are often treated as if they are the same. I help teams move from the former to the latter, and generate huge shifts in productivity and outcomes.
3. Talks, workshops and seminars - including topics relevant to the two areas above plus explaining Gen Z to Gen X.
