There are four key strategies to career advancement. They are:
- Professional and business savvy
- Accountability and support
- Clear goals and an actionable strategy
In order to get where you want to go, you have to be SASSy.
Since publishing my latest book, Leading On Purpose: The Black Woman’s Guide To Shattering The Glass Ceiling, I’ve had opportunities to speak to different groups about the ideas I share in the book. While there are leadership development and advancement essentials everyone can follow, there are also nuances to being a woman, a woman of color, and in my case, a Black Woman that many leadership books and courses do not highlight.
Preparing for the different talks has helped me to organize my thoughts and key points that I’ve been able to boil them down to an easy to remember model I call the SASSy Model:
1. Savvy
To position yourself for advancement, you must have business and professional savvy. This means not only being technically competent but also it’s important to be knowledgeable about your organization, the industry, and its stakeholders. It’s also vital to be able to communicate and interact with various stakeholders and be aware of your company’s culture and how to succeed within it.
2. Accountability
My biggest goals were accomplished because I shared them with others. There are plenty of times I wanted to quit, but before I did, I had someone, like a coach or a colleague, to answer to. The greatest way to demonstrate your commitment to your goals is to tell someone else.
3. Support
Although the bulk of the responsibility of development rests on you, no one succeeds alone. You must also have a sound support system that includes colleagues, mentors, sponsors, other senior leaders, executive coaches that focus on developing women, friends, and family. This support system should not only be available to cheer you on but also to hold you accountable so you can be your best.
3. Strategy
To achieve any goal, it’s essential to have a plan. Wanting to be a leader, wanting to buy a car, wanting to lose weight are all great aspirations; however, they’re not specific, measurable, or rooted in an actionable strategic plan. As a women’s leadership coaching, I help clients first get clear about what they want and then write out a strategic blueprint to help them get there.
Following this model allows you to feel and be more in control of your career, build your confidence and keep you engaged at work.
If you’d like to discuss your development and how to get the support and accountability you need, schedule a free 30-minute strategy session today.