Loud Thinking

Pursue Your Own Growth Opportunities

Many managers find that their current roles afford little opportunity to explore or develop. If you’re ambitious, but your current position offers few growth opportunities, look beyond your main business area. Sign up for a project or initiative that cuts across your organization’s divisions, hierarchical levels, and functional specialties. The big-picture perspective, fresh skills, and new connections that such projects can bring are well worth your time. If no suitable project is available, look for roles outside your organization that allow you to practice new skills and raise your profile. Consider teaching an adult education class, volunteering to speak at a conference, contributing to a blog, or attending professional gatherings to meet with people from different companies. These activities will build your skills and reputation, increasing your chances of joining strategic initiatives inside your organization.

Adapted by HBR from “Six Ways to Grow Your Job,” by Herminia Ibarra.