We recently heard a story about a group of employees who were in a meeting where they shared that they didn’t think anyone in their company really cared about their career growth.
That might not seem very noteworthy. After all, employees complain about this sort of thing all the time. The plot twist in this case was that the meeting was organized for the express purpose of promoting the professional development of the people who attended.
This exact situation might not have happened at your organization, but it is fairly common for career growth to be something of a taboo subject within organizations. Individual contributors are sometimes hesitant to tell their manager that they are looking to move up in the organization because it sounds like they are gunning for their boss’s job. And it can be equally uncomfortable for managers to tell team members, “Hey, to get ready for your next career move, you need to do more.”
We here at SellingBrew would like to bridge this gap of awkwardness by suggesting three actionable strategies for each group:
For sales ops leaders
- Create an environment for growth: You can help prepare your team members for more responsibility by delegating some strategic work, rotating team members among various roles, and/or by letting team members lead important process improvement projects.
- Provide clear pathways: During performance reviews, team meetings, and project planning, provide opportunities for your team members to step up and take on new challenges.
- Be open to ambition: Ambitious employees are often your most talented employees. It’s on you to create a culture where everyone has enough psychological safety to express their desire to advance.
For sales ops team members
- Ask for clarity: Don’t beat around the bush! During performance reviews and 1:1 meetings, ask your manager what skills or experiences you need to acquire to prepare for a leadership role.
- Propose solutions: When you ask for a leadership role, come prepared with a project you’d like to head up. In most organizations, there are some back-burner projects that the manager has not had time to address, and taking on one of these projects can earn you a lot of goodwill.
- Take initiative: Leadership begins with demonstrating ownership. Do what it takes to make sure your projects succeed, even if it isn’t strictly part of your job description.
Resources to help
Leadership development is a shared responsibility. Managers need to create an environment where stepping up feels natural and welcome. And team members need to step up to take advantage of those opportunities.
We cover the leadership half of the equation in Developing Sales Ops Leaders. It explains how to build career paths into your organization and offers valuable lessons from other B2B firms.
And you can learn more about the team member perspective in Advancing Your Career in Sales Operations. It offers practical tips for how to obtain the knowledge and skills you need for your next career step and how to “toot your own horn” without becoming irritating.
Yes, career growth conversations can feel uncomfortable at first. But the more you talk openly about opportunities that are available and your desire for advancement, the easier those discussions become. And ultimately, developing employee skills is not just good for employees — it also benefits the entire company.
Developing Sales Ops Leaders
How do we develop the next generation of sales ops leaders? How do we equip our team members to take on more responsibility? And how do we do it all as a matter of course rather than as an afterthought?
Advancing Your Career in Sales Operations
There's never been a better time to be working in Sales Operations. But you can’t just sit back and hope that good things will happen. In this on-demand webinar, learn strategies and tactics for Sales Ops career development.
