Key Performance Identified for Key Performers
by Lois MelbourneI spoke to four different organizations this month regarding their succession planning processes. These speaking engagements led to a beautiful little nugget of information I’d like to share with people planning careers and even people looking for a new job. These organizations have very different approaches to defining key performers and their importance in the succession planning process. The similarity running through all four is the skill for perpetual learning.
As companies plan for their workforce to retire over the next 5, 8, or 10 years, they must rely on the sharing of knowledge between their employees. As technology, the markets, customers, and techniques change so quickly, the ability to learn and adapt is very valuable.
So, the advice tip is keep learning and showing off your ability to learn. This can be illustrated through certifications you must study for and earn, new projects that may be out of your comfort zone, or standard business practice, hobbies involving continual learning, etc. Maintain a hunger for taking on new tasks and learning new things. It will be noticed.
Shari, an Aquire customer, mentioned that she was very impressed with an applicant who learned as much as he could about chess in order to play a customer coming to town for product training. The customer is a tournament chess player, and the applicant wanted to give him a good, challenging game. He dove into it, took lessons and played extensively on a computer version. The customer was so impressed that this person had learned the game in such detail he wrote a letter of recommendation for this person about his ability to learn and grasp complex subjects. (The guy got the job with Shari.)
Keep learning – it makes you more interesting and much more marketable for moving into or up through the organization chart.
Cheers,
Lois
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