There are opportunities for "dodos" as well. If you are one – Cheers !! .. you don’t need to worry about your career, you don’t need to fight – just stay in the playground and you will do well.
I firmly believe, all of us are destined to rise, and well we will rise in corporate hierarchy – some time or the other. We just need a bit of patience, and once in a while we need to wake up and see what’s happening around us – keeping alert. There are opportunities for “dodos” as well. If you are one – Cheers !! .. you don’t need to worry about your career, you don’t need to fight – just stay in the playground and you will do well ( Of course this growth path may not pull on for ever, and may soon become extinct, if not supported through competence and quality delivery.).
Just look around your cubicle.. just look at the executive cabins.
- Do you believe .. all of them deserve their chairs .. the corner rooms .. and designations ..?
- Does the guy , bullying you during every review meeting deserve to be your boss ?
Well if they can make it to the top, even you can.
All of us at some time or the other feel, that our bosses are not capable enough or our colleagues don’t deserve the promotion that they got etc. etc. These sentiments cut across all organization’s across geographies. 
It makes sense to explain the concept using a real life case study- Names of people, and the organization details are shielded to protect the interests of myself, as well as the people mentioned.
Case in consideration:
Mr Grasshopper, is a Senior Manager, with over 10 – 12 years of experience in leading corporate’s and MNC’s. His tenure, in the present company has been a mixed bag of stagnation – neither he had the opportunity to perform or deliver, neither he needed to perform. Luckily, for him his function role at an SBU, was peaceful considering that his predecessors had dome a great job of creating highly stable organization. Once in a while there had been question marks, on his performance and caliber by his team members and seniors at the SBU level, as well as the HO Level. At most occasions, specially for his team members Mr.Grasshopper came out a winner considering his ability to give gyan and quote his impressive background and past employers.
There was a business restructuring, and due to talent crunch at HO Level, and talent surplus at SBU level, Mr Grasshopper was called at the HO. Possibly, he was a resource who was ever available without much to do. At HO , he tried to impress every one in the role allocated to him, but the deficiencies and “dodo” ness finally caught up – He was good at giving gyan, however he could never carry an “execution” perspective. Since, other people were also being hired at the HO, and Mr Grasshopper being unable to cope up – he was again left without a role or position.
Another, instance of luck – a new vertical was formed and people were needed to run it. Since it was a coordination role – “driving the deployment of strategies’ at all SBUs. It fit him well, and very soon he was ‘supposedly” doing good. Despite every thing the “lack of execution” intent and orientation made the HOD quite desperate to kick out Mr.Grasshopper. But, then another opportunity came up – some one at an SBU at a “Functional Head” level had quit, and they needed a new person. Considering that the HOD was quite fed up by now, he wanted the Grasshopper to move out of his team and recommended the Grasshopper’s name for the “Functional Head” position at the SBU level. A strong positive recommendation was made to the COO and the Grass Hopper became a functional Head at the SBU. The HOD would have thought – “let him be some one else problem”. But at the end Mr Grass Hopper was a functional head at a SBU.
Interpretation: I am not sure, if the above case is about multiple accidents, or just a normal life cycle, in a corporate scenario – but its true and it happens. It happens at all time and at all places. There is a possibility that a highly talented individual – possibly a counterpart of Mr.Grasshopper, is still lying in some corner – some where diligently handling his daily responsibilities. I just see one silver lining – there is an opportunity for every one – you just need to keep your eye on survival – stay on and hold fort. And well , if you are good – please keep yourself visible to people. Makes a better case for yourself to be recognized and appreciated.
You may also enjoy reading – Survival at Workplace & Career Growth.
Source: This was written by Praveen Mishra on July 3, 2009. |
Praveen is the Founder & Principal Consultant of KHEdge, a boutique HR & Business Process Advisory firm. Over last 15 years he has advised & worked with promoters, founders, business leaders, HR leaders in areas of - Business Strategy, HR Strategy, Organisation Design etc.