Ralf Weiser's Blog – Shake Up Your Snow Globe! ©

At the top of the corporate ladder there is nothing to hold onto

At the top of the corporate ladder there is nothing to hold onto 

You do a great job because you work hard and it is all but inevitable: You are getting promoted. The higher you “climb” the corporate ladder you figuratively have less and less to hold onto. This means that you get less and less of a chance to be with your previous peers and worse yet you perhaps are given filtered information. In the worst case scenario you are no longer connected to reality and you may end up making fewer and fewer decision that hit the spot.

You are not alone in facing this issue. Having the heart and the will being genuinely curious about other people and their lives is key to never losing touch with your folks is the only antidote to standing up there all alone. Here you will need to spend just a little bit of extra time with each person. Listening and giving what is being said genuine consideration is sending the important signals that let other people trust you. Remember that what is being said is typically about what you do and not who you are. So there is no need to get defensive.

If you want to climb the ladder of success, get used to the idea of there not being an awful lot of help and support. The only thing you really need is the trust and confidence of the people you lead. You sow respect, time, and consideration and you will reap trust.

Ralf