The One Ladder Career Myth

Let's talk about the "One Ladder" myth that has long dominated our perception of careers and often causes boredom or the feeling of being stuck.

Here's the reality: we often find ourselves climbing different ladders simultaneously. Sometimes, we have the title but not sufficient skills yet. Other times, we have the skills but lack the corresponding title. And that's okay!

🚀 Technical Skills, Knowledge, and Behavior:

Most often, promotions are based on technical skills. However, climbing the ladder in terms of titles doesn't automatically imply growth in other competence areas. We must shift our focus and climb the relevant ladders to continue progressing and catch up to the title.

💼 Titles Are Just One Piece:

We're all familiar with the title ladder. But what happens when we reach the desired title? Often, we experience stagnation, boredom, or a sense of being trapped. It's important to remember that reaching the desired title doesn't mean we've peaked in other areas. You may need to change industries to double your money within the same role.

💰 Money Matters, But It's Not Everything:

You reached your dream salary, and you are ok with that. You are not aiming for a higher role or greater responsibilities. Great! But check where you stand on the ladder of expertise, technical or soft skill. We will always have things to learn related to those. Even if you are a world-renowned expert, you may need to improve at communicating it or applying your knowledge to benefit the organisation.

🌟 Leadership Isn't Just for the Top:

Let's say your teams rate you as an excellent leader. Yay! Reaching the top of the leadership skill ladder as a supervisor, manager, or senior leader requires different competencies. If you want to progress further, start looking at what the next rung is about and start learning. If you are happy where you are, you can just focus on other areas. Maybe your technical skill needs an upgrade because, after this role, you will put your hard earn corporate skills into opening your own business. But my advice is this; very few have and will ever reach the top of this ladder, so keep on climbing instead of getting bored.

🚀 Beyond the Expected:

There are countless paths to explore outside the traditional ladders. Specialisation, entrepreneurship, and mentorship are just a few examples of how we can create unique career journeys. If you feel bored or stuck, you might focus on only one ladder.

Shouldn't we approach career development this way? Considering these various elements, we can address some crucial factors contributing to our retention problems.