When I worked in corporate America there were highly valuable programmers and analysts that never moved beyond a programmer/analyst/team lead role. They remained in their roles by choice. They were well compensated, often had great benefits and a lucrative retirement to look forward to, and they were wonderful to work with. I think every successful IT team has one of these individuals.
What is much more prevalent than these valued individuals is sub-par programmers, analysts and team leaders that never move beyond their level. What is it about these individuals that keeps them from progressing in their careers? It is often said that technical skills get you the job, and soft skills get you promoted. There is undoubtedly some truth to this. I personally believe that there is something bigger than a lack of soft skills that holds people back. It is a mindset that is committed to self promotion and negativity.
I believe that there are seven sure fire ways for individuals to dig themselves in their current roles and watch as others are promoted around them:
- Be committed to having a problem, not being a part of the solution. Be sure to bring your problems to your manager on a regular basis without proposing solutions. Be especially sure to highlight problems with other people’s work and shooting down the proposed solutions of others.
- Be committed to self-promotion. Let your manager know on a regular basis how hard you are working. Focus on the number of hours you work and how late you had to stay at the office all week. Don’t look at deliverables and outcomes of your work, focus on time.
- Be committed to complaining to your coworkers about your dissatisfaction with the company that you work for. Every company has flaws, negative data points should be easy to find. Share openly how you would do things differently if you were the manager or director.
- Be committed to highlighting the mistakes of others. Place blame for your inadequacies on those around you.
- Be committed to making yourself indispensable. Do not help those around you in learning what you do.
- Be committed to your perspective. Do not take the time to understand the viewpoints of others.
- Be committed to the belief that your managers were promoted because of company politics.
Putting this down on paper, one would think, “Who would be committed to a negative mindset?” Yet, it is all too common, and I think it is the ultimate roadblock in far too many careers. Step one of overcoming this is refocusing one’s commitment to being a part of the solution instead of the problem. Solving problems begins with ownership, which leads to collaboration, which leads to results!