Q. You want to move into management or a higher executive position, but you’re so good at your current job that you’re now defined by it. How can you find a way out of this pigeonhole?
Once you determine where in the company you see yourself moving, create a plan to get there. Start by talking to your manager. Express your gratitude for all you’ve learned and accomplished and emphasize how much you value being a part of the organization, says Susan Battley, chief executive of Battley Performance Consulting in East Setauket, N.Y.
Be sure to come to the conversation with ideas about how to begin your transition. “Don’t just say you feel your career needs to grow, because then you’ve put all this on your boss,” Ms. Battley says. “Instead, say things like, ‘I’m looking for opportunities to manage a team or have more exposure to customers.’ ”
(Excerpt from Print Issue February 10, 2013; Page BU15)
An advisor to Fortune 100 executives and world-class institutions for more than twenty years, Dr. Susan Battley is an internationally recognized expert on CEO and leadership effectiveness. Her clients include Fortune 500 companies, professional service firms, and elite research institutions. She has worked with chief executives, university presidents, Nobel laureates, and prominent scientists, diplomats, and educators. A respected media source for analyzing leadership in the context of news-breaking events and key trends, Battley has been featured in outlets worldwide including CNN, CNBC, Fox, Bloomberg, and National Public Radio, and in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chief Executive, Business Week, United Press International, Harvard Management Update, Entrepreneur, Science, Leader to Leader, Investments, and Worth. She is the founder and CEO of Battley Performance Consulting, a leadership strategy and organization effectiveness consultancy.
