Lenny Rachitsky: evaluation

Transcript context

…I would be honest with people and say some patience is required. At this level, there is some notion of, do we need a director? Do we need a vice president? Do we have a challenge at that level that needs that person? And so promotions at this level, I often teach have two components. The first component is can I eat and do that job? Am I qualified? Do I have the skills? But the second piece is, do we have such a job that needs that? However, there is a lot you can do. A lot is in your control. And what is in your control is to start practicing those next level skills. Start working with your leadership on, where can I take on a strategic project? How can I become more of an inventor? I teach some about how to sort of systematically be inventive. It's not pure magic. Edison said it's 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. You can learn the 99%, and the 1% isn't as hard then. So you start showing those next level traits. And as I describe it most succinctly, how do you make yourself the person who will be chosen out of the eight? And you can be chosen, there are several ways to move up. Your boss can leave or be let go. They can be promoted to another role. But another way is I coach now, and I have several clients recently. I was just talking to a client yesterday, her two peers were let go. They were all the same level. Her two peers were let go and she was given their teams. And she expressed that her boss had been told, "You have too many senior managers for the size of your organization. We need to do some change in the organization, clean house, and put all your people under the folks who have potential." Well, obviously she must be one of those people, because she still has her job and has more people and more to do. And unfortunately, her peers are shopping for new employment. So be that person, and that's where The Magic Loop comes in. Be that person. I was just talking actually to a senior PM leader who pointed out that with this kind of lean environment of a lot of flattening of orgs and a lot of layoffs, that this is becoming increasingly hard. Exactly what you're describing. There's just less spots, because companies are running more lean, and so you just kind of have to wait. I think part of this advice you just shared, which is classic do the job before you have the job makes all the sense in the world. Because once people see that you can do it, obviously they'll feel a lot more comfortable putting you in that position. And they'll be looking. I always remind people, as a leader, I want the best people under me I can have. It's not that I don't wish to promote you. If you think about my job, this helps people, right? I have selfish motivation to promote you. A lot of people think, "The bosses there holding me down." Well, maybe some bosses are, but why wouldn't I want stronger, more capable direct reports? Why wouldn't I want people under me who can do more of my job? Frankly, that's the only way I can do less of my job.…

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