While career development is crucial, we must come to grips with the fact that more employees are not seeking to climb the ladder. Yes, upward mobility, succession planning, and merit promotions will continue to be necessary, but it's perhaps no longer the prime employee satisfaction or engagement criteria.
They don't want to move up; they want to grow across.
What is beginning to come to fruition is something I'm calling "horizontal ignition." Vertical ambition has given way to horizontal ignition. And if I'm a senior leader, I'm setting a new organization-wide leadership tone. It's time to project a new mindset.
Horizontal ignition centers around team members who desire experiential learning, new peer networks, and increased skill development. They accomplish this aspiration by working with others across the organization outside their usual roles. They may be interested in promotions and more senior positions at some point in time. That's fine.
It's a crucial mindset change for the organization's senior leaders to contemplate.
Organizations cannot continue tailoring or gear all their talent management strategy to preserve "bench strength." This myopia is the very reason many employees will leave. Moreover, if senior leaders fixate solely on career development paths—code for promotion paths—it will exacerbate the exodus of employees seeking development that does not necessitate job promotion.
It's no longer solely about moving up but growing across. Horizontal ignition is—quite literally—igniting the skill development of employees horizontally in the organization. Therefore, the approach should focus on critical opportunities for employees to network and learn from others.
While career development is crucial, we must come to grips with the fact that more employees are not seeking to climb the ladder. Yes, upward mobility, succession planning, and merit promotions will continue to be necessary, but it's perhaps no longer the prime employee satisfaction or engagement criteria.
They don't want to move up; they want to grow across.
What is beginning to come to fruition is something I'm calling "horizontal ignition." Vertical ambition has given way to horizontal ignition. And if I'm a senior leader, I'm setting a new organization-wide leadership tone. It's time to project a new mindset.
Horizontal ignition centers around team members who desire experiential learning, new peer networks, and increased skill development. They accomplish this aspiration by working with others across the organization outside their usual roles. They may be interested in promotions and more senior positions at some point in time. That's fine.
It's a crucial mindset change for the organization's senior leaders to contemplate.
Organizations cannot continue tailoring or gear all their talent management strategy to preserve "bench strength." This myopia is the very reason many employees will leave. Moreover, if senior leaders fixate solely on career development paths—code for promotion paths—it will exacerbate the exodus of employees seeking development that does not necessitate job promotion.
It's no longer solely about moving up but growing across. Horizontal ignition is—quite literally—igniting the skill development of employees horizontally in the organization. Therefore, the approach should focus on critical opportunities for employees to network and learn from others.