From Chapter 8: Are You Getting the Maximum Benefit Out of Your Situation?
Congratulations on your new role. You are probably enthusiastic about your newfound opportunity and ready to prove yourself in the new position. This may be the first time you are the final decision maker or in a position with line responsibility. You may be accountable for a new product introduction, or your financial portfolio may include emerging markets. Whatever your new role, you are eager to get to work, produce results, meet deliverables and in the process show your manager that you are up for the task. Not so fast!
Now is not the time to get down into the weeds. Now’s the time to look up, across, and out and ask, “How can I maximize and leverage this opportunity to move up, or move on?”
Tangible and intangible perquisites—perks—come with every new role as you advance in an organization. When you are just starting out, the perks of a promotion might include a more generous travel allowance or something as simple as a quiet cubicle. Have you identified the tangible and intangible perks that come with your new role? If you can’t name them, this is your wake up call—it is time to look beyond the money and that long-awaited office with a window. It is time to leverage your situation for success.
Don’t overlook the most important non-monetary perquisites that accompany your new role: access and influence. Whatever your level, a promotion always widens your circle of access and influence. That includes access to resources—people, time, and information—as well as the increased weight or influence that your words and ideas can convey.
Do you remember the “Six Degrees of Separation” parlor game? Well, you’ve just moved one degree closer to resources you can marshal for success. Are you using your perks or letting the accruements of your new position slip away?