Whether you're embarking on your first summer internship or transitioning as a seasoned executive, a well-thought-out strategy is essential to navigate the corporate world effectively. Here are five strategies to guide you through your corporate journey:
Before committing to a new role, invest time in understanding your potential employer's organizational culture, mission, ESG practices, and management style. A comprehensive research effort can help you avoid falling for enticing yet potentially misleading offers.
Traditionally, serious and reliable selection processes are time-consuming and may take months to conclude. This demonstrates that trustworthy employers want to be as assertive as possible when hiring, and the process duration is directly related to the executive position level. Quick and short selection processes can be a question mark. Be aware of indecent proposals where companies promise a "fairy tale" organizational environment. I have seen innumerous situations where these 'fairy tales' turned out to be "siren calls." Just as serious organizations do not want to make wrong hires, you need to gather as much information as possible about the company you are about to work for. Although you can't know everything, upfront research can help minimize risks.
In the corporate world, understanding the dynamics of your workplace is crucial. Beyond familiarizing yourself with your superiors, take the time to know your colleagues, stakeholders, and potential sponsors. Actively engage with them, respecting their pace and agenda. Consider having a mentor or sponsor (preferably) within the organization to guide your career growth.
Observing, learning, and aligning your pace with your boss's will be instrumental in achieving success and meeting objectives. I have listened to various and even shocking terms describing the corporate world, ranging from extremes such as "snake pit" to "my second home." If you have done your homework correctly (see item 1 above), you may find yourself at least closer to the "second home" side.
During my executive career, I had the privilege and luck to work with bosses who were somehow organized. However, one practice that I learned and applied to my reports led me to avoid uncomfortable misunderstandings and misalignments down the road. Whether through regular or unplanned meetings with your boss and direct reports, make sure to write down and register (save the document) what is expected from you and what you expect from your team in the short and medium term. Regularly revisit and share these expectations with your boss and your team to ensure alignment. Proactive communication signals your commitment to organization, planning, and teamwork, building a reputation for reliability and clarity.
I particularly love that famous quote from President John Fitzgerald Kennedy during his inauguration speech back in 1961 when he said: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." JFK’s quote above can also be applied to an organization (your employer) and to you. Believe it or not, that old perspective from previous generations remains, where some employees still expect from their employer a clear career path to climb the ladders for higher positions. Like it or not, those days are gone.
As mentioned before, to support you on this corporate journey, I would suggest finding a mentor, internal or external, someone who will give you valuable hints that are normally not written in your official organization’s playbook and onboarding kit.
Despite career paths varying in different vertical segments and cultures, bear in mind that you will have to plant your own seeds by investing your time and money in studies and knowledge that will support your corporate growth. You must go beyond what your employer will teach and offer you (for example, if full proficiency in one or two languages is mandatory, invest in it). I also suggest you find and elect a professional reference: someone you look up to. Pay close attention to one’s behavior, ranging from their dress code to daily routine to soft skills – incorporate the behaviors you feel familiar and good with and practice the others you don’t. Sooner or later, you will embrace and adopt your own style, which will be based and inspired by professionals and human beings you admire and respect.
Throughout my executive career of more than 25 years across a myriad of corporate cultures and as a headhunter focused on top management for the past 7.5 years, I’ve interacted and talked to more than five thousand profiles from the most diverse and interesting backgrounds. I’ve met, for instance, several individuals with impeccable academic credentials who have not evolved their careers to their full potential, and worse than that, stopped at a layer far beyond their true capabilities. That happened, in most cases, due to their limited and not developed soft skills, to their professional accommodation in so-called comfort zones, or to continuous mistaken professional decisions. On the other hand, I have also met executives with an average education who have climbed the corporate ladders to the top by leveraging and mastering their soft skills and grabbing the right opportunities offered to them.
The example above illustrates that a good education will always be the foundation to launch your career and undoubtedly the best investment you can make for yourself. However, learning to develop your soft skills, building a strong network, and properly navigating the corporate world will undoubtedly leapfrog your career.
Be aware and pay attention to “siren calls,” invest in your education through a life-long program, learn from mentors and professional references, identify your gaps, and develop your soft skills through a reliable coaching program. Remember that you are the sole protagonist of your career, but you can choose not to be alone on this challenging journey.
