-.AreYou, .

, ^
Promotable?
If you want to get ahead in your career, it's not
enough to just work hard and hope for the best
Here's what it reaily takes to be a promotable
professional In today's workplace.
By Jeffrey Cufaude

O n c e u p o n a t i m f^, simply doing well in your

current job got you noticed as a potentially desirable
candidate for a promotion. Put in
your time, do good work, exceed expecta-
tions, and you'd likely be on your way to
the C-suite.
Today? Not so much. Or per-
haps more appropriately
stated, not so little. As
Ladd Smith, CAE, Ph.D.,
president of the
Research Institute for
Fragrance Materials, Inc.,
notes, "Performance matters...
as gauged by the association's manage-
ment, the membership, and external stakeholders."

Associations Now May 2010 45

 To be deemed a promotable pro-
fessional, effectively executing your
present position's responsibilities is a
minimum expectation, not a differen-
tiator. So what will make you stand out
from your peers as worthy of additional
responsibilities or more significant posi-
tions of leadership?
In Good to Great, author Jim Collins
offers a five-level hierarchy of executive
capabilities. (See "Good to Great's Levels
of Leadership" on page 47.) The pyramid
shape illustrates the number of people
likely to effectively perform the respon-
sibilities corresponding to each of the
five levels. In almost any organization,
you'll find a large number of individuals
who are highly capable in their respec-
tive positions, but a smaller number of
people able to perform well as compe-
tent managers or effective leaders.
The qualities individuals must
possess to be successful at each of
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46 Associations Now May 2010
Collins' levels parallel the key themes
and insights that more than a dozen
association professionals offered on
what is required to be a promotable
professional.
Succeed with the soft stuff that
some find hard. You excel in your
own functional responsibilities, but
do you play well with others? You
should respond with a resounding yes
if you want to move from level one to
level two, and that requires mastery
of the soft skills. "By far, I think one of
the most important qualities when
deciding to promote someone relates
to emotional intelligence," says Lola
Pugliese, CA£, vice president, finance
and member services, for the Clinical
and Laboratory Standards Institute.
Emotionally intelligent individuals
possess strong se If-awareness, are able
to manage their own emotions and
their reactions to others, demonstrate
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empathy and truly understand col-
leagues' perspectives, and handle
difficult emotions and conflict with pro-
fessionalism and maturity.
Leadership and career strategy coach
Pegotty Cooper suggests this latter qual-
ity presents itself as being "willing to
engage readily with others even when
their opinions and viewpoints are radi-
cally different." Given that individuals
who advance in an association are more
likely to work with a broader range
of internal and external stakeholders,
the capacity to engage effectively with
diverse viewpoints becomes critical.
Promotable professionals see others'
perspectives and feedback not as hard
and fast truths to either accept or reject,
but as useful insights into how their
efforts and styles are perceived. They
incorporate this understanding and
modulate how they do their work to
more effectively interact alongside oth-
ers different from them.
Joel Albizo, CAE, executive director of
the Council of Landscape Architectural
Registration Boards, suggests this is
essential: "To grow and be promoted
one necessarily has to tackle and suc-
ceed at more complex and ambiguous
challenges. This can make you uncom-
fortable, and there is a need to rely on
external support."
Embrace and contribute to the big-
ger picture. It's one thing to perform
the tasks of your position proficiently.
But it's quite another thing to perform
them in a manner that demonstrates an
understanding of your organization's
larger strategic direction. "1 lean toward
promoting staff who are focused on
our mission and what's best for the
organization, rather than employees
who are more inwardly focused," says
Staqr Brungardt. CAE, executive direc-
tor of the Society of Teachers of Family
Medicine.
Taking an interest in and making
a contribution to this proverbial big-
ger picture is seen as a critical quality
for individuals who wish to advance.
And the big picture also includes the
priorities of other departments and the
needs of your colleagues. Promotable
 GOOD TO GREAT'S
LEVELS OF
LEADERSHIP
Level 5: Convenient.
Executives
"Builds endurint
greatness through
• a paradoxical blend of Affordable.
personal humilityand '
projessionalwill."
pim Collins, Good to Great)
Eco-Friendly.
Level 4: E/fective Leaders
You engage individuals'commitmentand
, contributionstoagreatervisionandbetterresults.,

Level 3: Competent Managers

You eifectively and ef|iciently organize people and
other resources toward predetermined objectives.

Level 2: Contributing Team Members virtual

You interact well with others ande/fectively contribute to group objectives. BOARD ROOM
Level 1: Highly Capable Individuals
Youdoyourjobwell.

professionals read and learn everything
about what other departments within
their association do and never fail to
offer help, according to Sherrie Cathcart,
CAE, executive director, American
Association for the Study of liver
Diseases.
As professionals supervise others,
the nature of their big picture changes
as well. We've historically defined man-
agement as "doing things right" and
leadership as "doing the right thing."
While the distinction should not be
taken to an extreme, it does reflect
a fundamental shift in focus as one
moves from level three to level four
in the Collins framework. Individuals
with management responsibilities are
more inwardly focused, ensuring their
team's projects and tasks are performed
efficiently, on time, and in a way that's
consistent with specified objectives.
Their long-term thinking often involves
projecting how current efforts will
extend into the future.
Professionals charged primarily
with leadership responsibilities are
more externally connected, interact-
ing with a broader and more diverse
range of stakeholders from both inside
and outside the profession or industry
and scanning the larger environment
for emerging trends and opportunities.
Rather than seeing the future as a
Formal online
mmor variation or logical extension
of the present, they see it as an inven- meetings.
tion that may require fresh thinking
and innovative solutions very different ^ Robert's Rules
than current organizational norms.
Where a manager might identify ways
of Order
to improve current efforts, the leader ^ Parliamentary
identifies the next new thing that needs
to be embraced. procedure
In many organizations, particularly
those with smaller staffs, the leader-
^ Roll call, debates,
manager distinctions aren't separated motions, voting
into two different levels in the hierar-
chy. People have to embrace both in a
hybrid role. The ability to do just that
makes you promotable, according to Visit us at ASAE's
Elizabeth Langston, CAE. director of MMC and FBOS Shows!
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Take initiative and demonstrate
accountability. "Self-starter. Someone
who identifies projects and programs
that viill benefit members that are con-
sistent with our goals and objectives."
That's what Mike Grubb, CAE, president
and CEO of Southern Gas Association,

Associations Now May 2010 47

 Promotable professionals see others' perspectives
andfeedback not as hard andfast truths to either
accept or reject, but as useful insights into how their
efforts and styles are perceived.

seeks in a promotable professional accomplish more, identifying ways to accountability, a critical quality in the
A quality frequently identified by enhance operational efficiencies, and eyes of Alberta Hultman, CAE, executive
other association leaders, demonstrat- helping solve problems others are expe- director and CEO of USFN — America's
ing initiative can take many forms: riencing. The old adage is that opportu- Mortgage Banking Attorneys: "Being
offering to help colleagues when you nity knocks. Promotable professionals responsible, dependable, and profes-
haven't been asked to do so, seeking don't wait for that to happen; they sional is not for sissies or dweebs. Being
out new information for an existing actively seek ways to make a useful bright and creative is great, but it is
effort, linking one of your projects to contribution. critical that the CEO have people s/he
other departments' work, developing In whatever work they do, these can depend on to deliver. Those are the
relationships that enable everyone to individuals demonstrate a high level of people who get promoted to higher
positions."
Love to learn and take responsibil-
it
n ity for doing so. The more you know,
the greater the likelihood that you can
be a reliable and consistent performer.
Saying that professionals must be life-
o.-tí INSTITUTE FOR ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT long learners is almost a cliché, but that
doesn't diminish the fact that it's the
truth. Promotable professionals seek
learning that will help them master
^ o
a s
•"O
Invest in your staff. their core responsibilities and pursue
opportunities to acquire the new under-
Invest in the future. standing and skills they may need in
future positions.
Join association and chamber executives "Whether it is reading books, attend-
(U OJ
at the U.S. Chamber's nonprofit ing classes, or pursuing a degree, it is
E a so important to find ways to leam and
professional development program
experience new ways to grow and devel-
ii and earn up to 96 credit hours toward
op. But your professional growth must
your CAE certification.
be intentional," says Donna Heavener,
CAE, association executive with the Cobb
For summer registration Association of Realtors, in Cobb County,
QJ
information, visit Georgia. "It took me a long time to realize
www.uschamber.com/institute. how important this is."
In Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell
echoes the importance of disciplined
intention to get better at what you do.
O He suggests that true superstars have
C
Institute. intentionally practiced the fundamen-
tals of their profession over and over
again to achieve a high level of mastery

48 Associations Now May 2010

and confidence. Doing so builds muscie
memory you can almost reflexively
recall and execute on demand. It is this
exhaustive practice (Gladwell mentions
the oft-cited "10,000 hours" rule) that
converts a mere talent into a reliable
strength.
Know that it's not about you. When
contemplating your own career aspira-
tions and how you can achieve them,
it's easy to get so self-obsessed that it
becomes ail about the positions you
want and the recognition you seek.
Turn too far inward and you may unin-
tentionally impede the advancement
you desire, particularly if you aspire to a
CEO position.
Writing about Level 5 executives,
Jim Collins offers an observation that
may be equally true for profession-
als at any level of an organization
who wish to advance: "Level 5 leaders
channel their ego needs away from
themselves into the larger goal of
building a great company. It's not that
Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-
interest. Indeed, they are incredibly
ambitious ~ but their ambition is first
and foremost for the institution, not
themselves."
While making your career inten-
tions explicit can help support your
desire to be promoted, perhaps the
efforts most likely to gain your
advancement are the ones that support
and help advance others' efforts. Focus
less on what's next for you and more
on what's next and necessary for your
organization—and how you can con-
tribute to making it happen. When you
promote opportunities and efforts that
help achieve a greater good, the good
that you will achieve personally and
professionally will be greater, üh
Perhaps best known for designing and
facilitating ASAE & The Center's Future
Leaders Conference from 1998-2007.
Jeffrey Cufaude strives to advance the
association community through his writ-
ing, speaking, and facilitating. Email:
jeffrey@ideaarchitects.org

DOES ONWARD ALWAYS MEAN UPWARD? Review and comment on this

Historically, a promotion has almost always meant advancing to the next level article at www.asaecenter.org/
in the organizational hierarchy. But with flatter organ izatianai structures and associationsnow
individuals redejining what they see as a desirable career path, that may no lon-
ger be the case. For some, the career ladder is being replaced by a career lattice.
Cathy Ben ko, vice chairwoman and chiej talent officer for Deloitte LLP, spoke
about this model in the November 8,2008, editian oJ The New York Times. Benko
Publications
noted, "While a so-called plateau or latera! move, or a move downward, was once
viewed as the end of the line, today's employees are more apt to reach a comfort-
Fulfillment
able level of responsibility and compensation and stay therefor a white to bal-
ance work and life demands. Later, many resume their upward climb—ar nat."
These lateral moves can stil) mean mare responsibility, newapportunities, and
even additional compensation. They may help you further establish your capac-
ity and credibility for a significant step up the career ladder at a later time when
you find that mare desirable.
Reduce
One useful lens is available at www.masscareercustomization.cam/interac your direct
tive.html. A simple interactive tool, based on the book Mass Career Customiza- & indirect costs
tion (coauthored by Benka), allows you to chart the "sine wave" of your career's • Realize operational efficiencies
ups and downs. • Improve your operating focus
But if your interests and talents are varied, haw do you know whether or
not the career you are contemplating is the right one for you? ]im Collins again
Associations
might offer some insight. While the Hedgehog Concept in Good to Great is mast Book Distributors
ajten discussed in organizatianal terms, Collins suggests it also is relevant for International, Inc.
individuals. Your trusted source for expert
To identify your personal Hedgehog Concept, ask yourself: e-commerce -^
I What am I absolutely passionate about? Fulfillment
2. What will people pay meto doPWhat drives my economic engine' Customer
3. What am I genetically encoded to do and could become best in class in doing? Service
The intersection of your response to these three questions may be the ideal Judy G. Cheteyan
(800) 796-6471
career destination for you to pursue. The challenge Collins notes is that often
e-mail: jc@abdintl.com
we are well-compensated and praised for work that we are passionate about www.abdintl.com
and that people will pay us to do. Those rewards sometimes prevent us from suf-
ficiently exploring the critical third question: Is this what ! could become best in
class for doing? Globil Drier FuHillniinl

Associations Now May 2010 49

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