NAVIGATING CAREER GROWTH
It is natural for people to desire to grow upward and outward when they think about career success. Whether it's peer recognition, financial incentive, more influence, or just the pride of advancing within an organization, career success is a very appropriate focus for many working individuals.
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Think through the following questions:
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Do you desire to grow in your career at Chick-fil-A and beyond? What role, position, or opportunities would you like to accomplish in the next 1, 3, and 5 years?
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What are some of the motivations you have for career growth? Are you looking for more opportunities to influence others or the organization? Are you interested in financial incentives or maybe it's the desire to develop and continually challenge yourself?
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What do you think are the most important factors which determine whether you are considered for and given career growth opportunities?
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Most people are under the impression that simply working hard and having good performance is the antidote for success. The reality is that in high performing organizations, how well you do your job is only part of the equation to your future career success. If everyone is performing at a high level, then there must be other pieces of the P.I.E. that help individuals excel into the opportunities and roles they hope to achieve. Review the three pieces of the P.I.E. for career growth (performance, image, exposure).
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Think through the following questions:
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How do you feel like your are currently performing in the business? Have you exceeded the expectations for your role? Are you proactive in your growth and the responsibilities you seek out?
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What do you think your image is on the team? How do you think your peers would describe you? What about your supervisors? Do you have an image of being a hard worker, demonstrating professionalism, supporting team and culture? What could be negatives aspects of your image?
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Who knows what you are accomplishing in the business? Do you take the time to engage with all people on the team or just those you consider friends? How many on the senior leadership team do you believe know your engagement and contributions to team and the business?
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TAKE ACTION
We want you to be able to develop and flourish in your career growth. Each piece of the P.I.E. is important and navigating your career growth in any high performance organization will require a mastery of all three pieces of the P.I.E. Unfortunately, many aspects of promotions and career growth depend upon opportunities, competition, and other factors which may be out of your control. Remember, focus only on what you can control. P.I.E. is not an automatic formula for promotions and opportunities, however, if you focus on excelling in your performance, growing your personal image/brand, and building your exposure within an organization, you will set yourself up for being in the best position to be considered for promotions and opportunities when they arise. Try to focus on developing in some pieces of the P.I.E. model this next month and see how it might possibly help you reach your next levels of career growth.
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Performance - Schedule some time to meet with 2-3 of your direct supervisors or senior leaders in the business. Ask them for feedback on your performance and what they think you are doing well and what you can improve. Take their feedback and create an action plan to improve those areas within the next 30 days.
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Image - Use the 360 Feedback Assessment Worksheet below to get feedback from your direct reports, peers, and superiors around your performance and image within the business. See if there is some feedback that you can work on in the next 30 days to help improve your image amongst the team.
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Exposure - Schedule meetings with different leaders and directors in the business over the next 30 days. Try to catch them on a break or schedule time before or after a shift. Take the time to get to know them better as well as share some of the things you are focusing on in the business and personally to develop yourself. Ask them for advice and counsel as you are pursuing your career growth journey.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF MASTERY
Exceeds expectations of business and proactively seeks out responsibilities for development; maintains a strong personal brand image including areas of work ethic, professionalism, and team engagement and culture; actively seeks out opportunities to build relationships with direct reports, peers, and supervisors; realizes a holistic approach to career growth and manages growth beyond performance; is open to and seeks out feedback and uses feedback to develop themselves personally and within business.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES​
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