Upgrading your executive skill set

There is more of a need now to stretch oneself more than ever from a skill set perspective.

Executive positions are fewer in numbers compared to the past, so there is a need to improve and upgrade skills more regularly.   At the very least, you should be changing your job description or adding new unique projects to your mandate ever 2 years. Simply being able to say that you ran the P&L in your position for 5 years is no longer sufficient. Business and technology is moving too quickly now and there is too much competition from smaller companies who possess executives that can successfully wear many hats.

Competition exists from other candidates who have ALSO successfully managed P&L for their companies and they may also have more relevant industry experience or may possess more engaging personalities.  It is imperative now more than ever to not sit back and bask in your most recent yearly results as next year might be a different story.

One recent executive candidate of mine is a classic example of what I mean.  He was a mature candidate with a sales background in business development and  was recently hired by a young technology company.  It was actually not his extensive years of relationship selling or business development that won him the position over  a slate of other candidates. It was actually his comfort level with "Word Press" that pushed him and not the others past the finish line. How did he pick up that skill as a head of sales and business development?  Like most companies now, his last company was entrepreneurial in nature and he recognized the need to add to his job description that would also support his overall mandate.  Progressive thinking and taking initiative regarding improving his skill set while also driving his business mandate was recognized by a company who could have easily hired someone younger and more in line with their company culture.

Food for thought.

Farewell,

Mike