How do I reach partner?
So, you are a manager or senior manager at a Big 4 or one of the leading consultancies, you enjoy working in this industry and you have future aspirations to become a partner or managing director. But what to do? How do you get there? The attributes, qualities and performance metrics which got you to manager and senior manager are not the same which will take you to the peaks of senior leadership.
Here are some tips for aspiring partners or managing directors:
Developing your business acumen: Start by identifying areas where you can deepen your understanding of the business. Are there any financial metrics or industry trends you're not familiar with? Don’t wait, take the initiative to learn more by attending relevant training sessions or seeking out mentorship from senior leaders. Then start thinking about how you can apply this knowledge to add value to your clients' businesses.
Building your personal brand: Consider what makes you unique and how you can showcase this to others. Write a thought leadership piece, share this to your targeted audience. An idea might be to consider how you might leverage social media to highlight your expertise and engage with others in the industry. But remember, always conduct yourself in a professional and respectful manner.
Developing your leadership skills: Which are some specific areas where you can improve your leadership abilities? Perhaps you can volunteer to take the lead on the next project which you know will stretch your abilities. You may wish to take on board further training sessions focused on leadership development. It could be as simple as asking a colleague for feedback on your work. The key is to understand leadership is not simply managing a team or a project, it is also the ability to influence others and positively driving change.
Start building your client relationships: To reach the position of partner or managing director, you simply need to learn to become comfortable selling the team and firm’s services. Attending industry events and meeting prospective clients is a great start. Alternatively, inviting target clients out for coffees to learn about their challenges and share with them interesting industry trends is a personalised and effective way to build out your network. Additionally, think about your personal network (ex colleagues, classmates, friends…) and whether you can leverage it to expand your client base.
Start being proactive and learn to be comfortable taking risks: No need to overwhelm yourself and think it all needs to be done at once. Start with little steps and the more you start with something, the more comfortable it becomes. Start with your interests and your strengths and build on from there, take on that extra project or volunteer to lead the next presentation. The key is to try push and stretch yourself.
Joining the senior levels of leadership requires a lot of hard work and dedication. It is not expected you do all the above perfectly from the outset, and you will likely make some mistakes initially, however this is where the growth comes from. The sooner you can start thinking about how to incorporate some of these ideas into your work, the sooner your chances of reaching the partnership and managing directing ranks can be realised!
