Sitting in a board room, conducting interviews with much more senior management staff of a client to my firm, I began to think of how far I have come in my few years in the corporate world. I began to think wide to really see how well I have done; was this where I planned to be six years back?, what skills have I acquired over this period? Am I better off now? Should I have been able to do better than this? Where did I fall short?, etc. (I carry out this quick mind exercise at various times to see how well I am fairing. Usually to cheer myself to aim higher – where I see that I am lagging – or psych myself up when a situation begins to seem unachievable or uninteresting. In this case, I think the latter was in operation). I came to a conclusion that I have done well but I could have done better. So I think back on reasons I have been able to achieve the few things that I have achieved so far and the reason was glaring to me – by taking on more responsibilities.
By taking responsibility, I have carried out the roles assigned to me like I will be hung if they were not completed satisfactorily. I gladly took on responsibilities that were not even mine, exposing myself to areas I will ordinarily not have ventured. I took responsibility for other people’s errors and I started growing supervisory and leadership skills. I took on more responsibility and my contribution to the organization has been seen as extremely valuable as my unit now depends on me. Even till now, I take on more responsibilities outside my field of play – just so that the work will be done; so that I can understand what the other person really does and how it affects my job and the organization at large; so that I can become multi-skilled and not just boxed in one role; so that the overall organizational objectives can be achieved. For taking responsibility, I can confidently talk about what everyone does within my organization and how they do them and contribute meaningfully to the various divisions of my firm.
How many have been asked to carry out a task but have grudgingly carried it out or worse still refused because it is not part of their job description; because they did not like the person they will be reporting to; because it will make them stay longer in the office; because they will be considered by colleagues as the boss’s butt-licker (excuse my French); because they would not be paid additional anyways!
Ask anyone who is successful in his/her field and you will realize that he/she has taken up more than was assigned to him/her along the career way. I have heard employees in different organizations at different times say they wonder why they were not promoted and I always respond this way – if you have not displayed your ability to carry out roles beyond the grade you are currently, why should any sensible supervisor move you up. A man is promoted when it is certain (which usually happens by seeing the person in action) that he can carry out the responsibilities at such higher level (in a well structured environment that is).
There is obviously an organizational risk in promoting an individual to a position that he cannot deliver on, hence the need to test the person’s ability at the higher level before they assume such role. If you insist on ‘just carrying out my role’, you will just be losing out on opportunities for growth and career expansion.
The next time you are asked to carry out a task that is not on your job description (I do not mean that you over burden yourself though), take it as an opportunity for growth. When you are asked to carry out an assignment that is not even in your department, see it as an opportunity for expansion. The next time you find yourself ‘faffing’ (a term used mostly the consulting industry to describe idleness at work), take it as an opportunity to find additional work to do and harness more skills for yourself. Take up that additional role, develop yourself!
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