Climbing the management ladder

NEW DELHI: In a changing and competitive landscape, mid-career blues are becoming a common phenomenon. According to human resources (HR) consultants, to grow from entry-level to the middle-rung of the career is comparatively easier than to take that decisive quantum leap, which helps to lodge you in the leadership position.

Typically, companies look for multi-divisional experience and certain technical skills when they give the reins of the organisation to a person, according to E Balaji, executive director, Ma Foi Consulting Solutions. For example, if it is an Indian company, experience in different regions add a lot of weight. For a global company, then a mix of local and international experience secure brownie points for reaching the top.

“Special knowledge that involves mergers and acquisition skills, and the ability to handle large projects and global initiatives, are a help,” explains Balaji.

But this is not sufficient. Reviewing the labour market and the hot skills is an important step toward making an informed decision. “Though organisations enable the environment, the employee’s initiative is the critical factor. They have to review career goals and plan their career path accordingly. Identifying areas of improvement (technology and soft skills) and building on them will enable people to upgrade skills,” says Nirupama V G, associate director, TeamLease.

Deepak Dhawan, vice-president, human resources, EXL, says, “People who can bring business, who know about the architecture of the company, know the big levers and big buttons of the organisation are the ones chosen by organisations to lead.”

As it is, the mid-level positions are becoming extinct and most organisations are becoming flat, feels Yasho V Verma, director, human resources and management resources of LGEIL. “There are only two layers now in most organisations — one at the top which involves strategy-making and the other that is involved with operational and executional levels,” says Verma.

But there are organisations which have several tiers and they run development centres to hone employees’ competencies required for the next level. “Here people are observed and prepared for further roles where they can fit into. The gaps are identified and followed by development and skill training to minimise or fill in these gaps,” says Abhay Phadnis, COO, Ma Foi Consulting Solutions.

One of the major hurdles in migrating from the mid-level to senior positions, is that employees may have the right kind of experience, but lack the requisite qualifications to make the grade.

“In such cases, the short-term management programmes, ranging from two weeks to three months, can help catapult people into top-jobs,” says Balaji. These programmes are dear and can cost anywhere between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh for a five day to a week-long programme from Indian School of Business.

All the Indian Institutes of Management offer short-term management programmes, ehich cost upwards Rs 8 lakh. The Harvard University and the National University in Singapore also offer short term courses and award international certificates to managers.

There are courses offered by London School of Economics, London School of Business and Insead in France. Mid-level employees are already equipped with technical skills, feels Girish Baluja, COO, Moser Baer.

It is the leadership quality that an organisation looks for in a top-rung official.  The most important skill for today’s top jobs is strategy and the power of knowledge, says Yasho Verma, but soft skills are equally important.

Adds Archana Shiroor, country head, YES Bank, “A mid-level manager has the advantage of a multi-domain, multidimensional and cross-functional exposure. This gives him a holistic view, which comes in handy for the top job in a start-up, project management and organisation building.”