By Sally Blount
Careers unfold over a lifetime. Unexpected opportunities and obstacles arise—at work and at home—that affect how a career progresses, especially for women. The same job that may eventually lead one person into the c-suite may end in a stalled career for another. There are multiple paths and no guarantees. It’s all part of the journey.
But we do know that cerÂtain choicÂes, espeÂcialÂly earÂly in one’s career, can set peoÂple on traÂjecÂtoÂries that increase the likeÂliÂhood of long-term career sucÂcess. So, a key quesÂtion for gainÂing more genÂder equalÂiÂty in the c-suite seems to be: How can we maxÂiÂmize the chances of sucÂcess for our most promisÂing young women as they start their careers?
Through interÂviews and surÂveys with hunÂdreds of sucÂcessÂful female execÂuÂtives, we’ve idenÂtiÂfied the post-colÂlege years as critÂiÂcal to setÂting a strong career traÂjecÂtoÂry. GetÂting it ?“right” in this decade can pay off for women latÂer in their 30s with faster proÂmoÂtions and betÂter career options, leadÂing to even bigÂger opporÂtuÂniÂties and finanÂcial rewards in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. ConÂverseÂly, getÂting it ?“wrong” earÂly on can have disÂproÂporÂtionÂate costs over the course of one’s workÂing life, espeÂcialÂly if such ?“wrongs” aren’t rightÂed in the subÂseÂquent decade.
For women, the cost of a weak launch is even highÂer than for their male peers, because the 30s are typÂiÂcalÂly more chalÂlengÂing due to growÂing famÂiÂly responÂsiÂbilÂiÂties. That means there is less time and enerÂgy availÂable to make up for a slow start.
So, what exactÂly does it mean to get the launch right?
The Four CorÂnerÂstones of a SucÂcessÂful LaunchÂ
While every sucÂcessÂful c-suite career has a unique traÂjecÂtoÂry, there is a comÂmon set of underÂstandÂings and capaÂbilÂiÂties that sucÂcessÂful senior execÂuÂtives gain on their jourÂney to the c-suite. OptiÂmalÂly, these four insights and skill corÂnerÂstones that will form a leader’s founÂdaÂtionÂal knowlÂedge are acquired beginÂning in the launch phase.
1. PeoÂple ManagementÂ
SucÂcessÂful execÂuÂtives know how to manÂage peoÂple. The buildÂing blocks of peoÂple manÂageÂment include learnÂing how to 1) manÂage your own perÂforÂmance, 2) manÂage your reportÂing relaÂtionÂship with your boss, 3) manÂage your perÂforÂmance as a team memÂber, and latÂer 4) manÂage a small team. The post-colÂlege decade is the ideÂal time to gain this experience.
LearnÂing how to set and delivÂer on realÂisÂtic perÂforÂmance expecÂtaÂtions is key. This means holdÂing yourÂself accountÂable for doing what you say you will by the deadÂlines you have agreed to (and if you can’t meet them, anticÂiÂpatÂing that and letÂting peoÂple know in advance when they can expect your work). It means holdÂing your direct reports accountÂable to the same stanÂdards and knowÂing when and how to chip in at a highÂer levÂel to assure that your team hits its goals.
2. BusiÂness Core KnowledgeÂ
SucÂcessÂful execÂuÂtives learn earÂly on about core funcÂtions, busiÂness processÂes, and how they interÂconÂnect. The launch years are the time to gain masÂtery in one funcÂtion such as finance, accountÂing, or marÂketÂing, while simulÂtaÂneÂousÂly buildÂing a basic underÂstandÂing of all the othÂer funcÂtions. This is the time to learn how the varÂiÂous funcÂtions conÂnect through an organization’s reportÂing strucÂture and how othÂer ?“conÂnecÂtive tisÂsues” (e.g., regÂuÂlar reports and meetÂings) driÂve deciÂsion-makÂing, accountÂabilÂiÂty, and performance.
3. OrgaÂniÂzaÂtionÂal and StrateÂgic CuriosityÂ
LeadÂing at the top also requires underÂstandÂing how orgaÂniÂzaÂtions change over time and how orgaÂniÂzaÂtionÂal culÂtures can either help or hurt the change process. To the extent that a young proÂfesÂsionÂal can use the earÂly career years to develÂop curiosÂiÂty about orgaÂniÂzaÂtionÂal culÂture and polÂiÂtics (not just where deciÂsions get made, but how), a career will progress more smoothÂly. It is also a good time to start trackÂing the busiÂness media to learn about the ever-evolvÂing ecoÂnomÂic, social, and politÂiÂcal forces that influÂence orgaÂniÂzaÂtionÂal choicÂes and performance.
4. RelaÂtionÂship- and NetÂwork-buildÂing SkillsÂ
SucÂcessÂful execÂuÂtives nurÂture and expand their web of relaÂtionÂships over the course of their careers. The launch years are the time to begin that process by getÂting to know well a group of peoÂple in a cohort, team, and funcÂtion. It’s also a time to get to know some of the peoÂple in othÂer workÂplaces. By workÂing, eatÂing, and socialÂizÂing togethÂer, young proÂfesÂsionÂals begin to acquire a group of peoÂple at a simÂiÂlar career stage whom they can call on for help and advice as their careers progress.
“If we are going to get more women into the c-suite and othÂer sigÂnifÂiÂcant leadÂerÂship posiÂtions, we need more women to launch well.”
EarÂly Career AcceleratorsÂ
While many pathÂways can lead to the c-suite, there is a set of highÂly comÂpetÂiÂtive, entry-levÂel jobs that offer some of the most reliÂable opporÂtuÂniÂties for acquirÂing the core busiÂness skills and expeÂriÂences indiÂcatÂed above. We call them ?“earÂly career accelÂerÂaÂtors” and describe them briefly below.
Despite the obviÂous advanÂtages these jobs can proÂvide, research tells us that women often shy away from applyÂing for them. The genÂerÂal perÂcepÂtion is that these comÂpetÂiÂtive jobs require long hours and operÂatÂing in tough work enviÂronÂments. And, at least from a disÂtance, they don’t feel parÂticÂuÂlarÂly motiÂvatÂing to women as long-term career options. When it comes to busiÂness school, some of the same perÂcepÂtions, as well as the dauntÂing list price, can make that feel like a poor fit too.
ManÂageÂment Consulting
The sheer diverÂsiÂty and magÂniÂtude of projects and peoÂple one is likeÂly to encounter workÂing for a conÂsultÂing firm make this an excelÂlent startÂing point for almost any career, helpÂing a young proÂfesÂsionÂal progress in all four key develÂopÂment areas. Indeed, even just two years in conÂsultÂing earÂly on can make a big difÂferÂence. Just look at the list of alumÂni from these firms?—?they’re leadÂing orgaÂniÂzaÂtions across all indusÂtries, secÂtors, and geographies.
BankÂing and FinanceÂ
TakÂing a job that helps solidÂiÂfy an underÂstandÂing of the basics of finance and how and why cerÂtain projects get fundÂed, while othÂers don’t, is time well spent. Being comÂfortÂable talkÂing to banks and navÂiÂgatÂing income stateÂments, budÂgets, cash flows, and balÂance sheets is valuÂable for all future leadÂers. And the opporÂtuÂniÂties to engage with difÂferÂent kinds of clients across a variÂety of indusÂtries broadÂen perÂspecÂtives and relaÂtionÂal skills and can jumpÂstart one’s network.
Blue-chip CorÂpoÂraÂtions
While workÂing for blue-chip corÂpoÂraÂtions won’t likeÂly proÂvide the same breadth of expoÂsure or the hands-on expeÂriÂence that some conÂsultÂing and finance pathÂways do, these comÂpaÂnies offer some of the most reliÂable manÂageÂment trainÂing proÂgrams. These proÂgrams are known for develÂopÂing funcÂtionÂal experÂtise, fosÂterÂing orgaÂniÂzaÂtionÂal and strateÂgic awareÂness, and buildÂing key relaÂtionÂships. They proÂvide a lowÂer-travÂel enviÂronÂment and excelÂlent develÂopÂment. MoreÂover, getÂting hired by one adds instant credÂiÂbilÂiÂty to a resume.
Small BusiÂnessÂes
One route less freÂquentÂly talked about, but which we are bullÂish on based on our interÂviews, is the opporÂtuÂniÂty to work for a smallÂer, fast-growÂing comÂpaÂny. Here, we are talkÂing about comÂpaÂnies that have estabÂlished themÂselves beyond the startÂup phase. As these orgaÂniÂzaÂtions expand and move to put a basic funcÂtionÂal strucÂture in place, bright young 20-someÂthings often find that they can get hands-on expeÂriÂence in manÂagÂing peoÂple, learnÂing the basics of busiÂness and how and why deciÂsions get made. While smallÂer firms may not yet have estabÂlished manÂageÂment-trainÂing proÂgrams, best-in-class poliÂcies and pracÂtices, or even a full-time HR perÂson, the eviÂdence from the many sucÂcessÂful women we interÂviewed sugÂgests that earÂly hands-on expeÂriÂence seeÂing how all facets of a busiÂness work togethÂer, albeit on a smallÂer scale, can prove invaluable.
BusiÂness School
The othÂer obviÂous career accelÂerÂaÂtor our research idenÂtiÂfied?—?admitÂtedÂly, not surÂprisÂingÂly, givÂen our startÂing point interÂviewÂing sucÂcessÂful KelÂlogg alumÂnae?—?is attendÂing a top busiÂness school. BenÂeÂfits citÂed include a thorÂough underÂstandÂing of busiÂness basics, broad access to busiÂness thought leadÂers and CEOs, expoÂsure to a broad array of orgaÂniÂzaÂtions, earÂly relaÂtionÂship buildÂing, and extenÂsive expeÂriÂences in peer team manÂageÂment?—?all delivÂered in a relÂaÂtiveÂly short periÂod of time.
If we are going to get more women into the c-suite and othÂer sigÂnifÂiÂcant leadÂerÂship posiÂtions, we need more women to launch well. The good news: there are many ways to accuÂmuÂlate the needÂed corÂnerÂstone knowlÂedge in the earÂly years. The tougher news is that some of the most reliÂable pathÂways will require young women to engage in disÂcomÂfort as they embrace paths they may not fulÂly know, underÂstand, or appreÂciÂate, at least initially.
But as our interÂviews make clear, investÂing the time and effort to leverÂage these career accelÂerÂaÂtors will pay divÂiÂdends down the road for any woman, regardÂless of her long-term career aspiÂraÂtions. A betÂter launch means betÂter tools to use latÂer in one’s career?—?in any secÂtor and at any operÂatÂing scale.
Sally Blount is Dean, Kellogg School of Management; Michael L. Nemmers Professor of Management & Organizations.
This article has previously been published on Kellogg Insight.
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