In the military, career advancement is not based solely upon performance. There is a specific hierarchy, procedure and time-frame involved in how members of the military move up the ranks. Time and grade are key components in advancing in the military along with a strong work ethic and a sense of leadership. In the corporate world, certain characteristics that you've learned in the military will play an important role in your career advancement while some of the other rules will not necessarily apply.

Today, corporations have a tendency to be flatter hierarchically and more of a meritocracy. Career advancement in civilian life is based upon knowledge, skills, work ethic, tenacity, sensitivity to people and understanding the machinations of corporate politics. There is adequate opportunity to "climb the corporate ladder" without having to go up through the ranks. Those of us who quickly move up the "success ladder" tend to be the ones who exhibit a strong work ethic, develop a high level of professional skills and competencies, and, are generally creative and natural leaders. Using those capabilities and being willing to take on higher levels of responsibilities is the fastest way to climb the corporate ladder.

In most workplaces, there are four phases within the career lifecycle. Here are those four phases:

The first phase is the protégé stage where a new employee learns the ins and outs of the position and the industry. At this stage, the novice is a sponge who develops skills while soaking in the environment, the culture, the pace and the main areas of focus specifically related to his or her job.

The second phase is the competency stage. This phase involves becoming a true professional within the field. Simply put, it means you developed a high enough competency level so that you are considered an expert. In essence, you know something or have skills that others may need to know and are willing to pay for. You are defined as a “professional” in this stage because you have reached the point where people are willing to pay you for your services. This usually involves the employee having put in enough time to develop all the necessary competencies required for the position. Many employees find a comfort level at this phase and decide not to take the necessary steps to advance beyond it.

Those employees who yearn to get to the third level, the "innovative phase," will continuously strive to improve their skills. They work hard. They work smart. They are constantly looking to make work processes more efficient and offer innovative solutions to correct problems. It is a period during one’s career that expands whatever you are doing or making to doing or making it better than it was before. These employees go well beyond the scope of their job description to make themselves invaluable to the company. Innovation always gets noticed and is a sure way to be recognized.

The four level is what I call the "Mentor phase." The employee has not only transformed into an invaluable employee (and probably a manager) but is also relied upon to teach and train others in the company. At this stage, it is basically mandatory for the person to teach others around him/her the knowledge and "know-how" of the industry. For future generations to build upon it, this generation’s knowledge must be passed along. Once people reach this fourth stage, they are usually passionate and eager to teach their trade and their successes to others.
 

Corporate politics:

Politics is not a bad word. With regards to corporations, it's synonymous with power. And that’s what politics are about in any company. Understanding who has power and how those people in power can impact your career goals are crucial. Developing and maintaining a strong circle of mentors and advocates is extremely important for any employee who hopes to advance within a company. Politics are about building working relationships with people who will support you when an opportunity within the company opens. Your work ethic and skill set is just as important as having managers and colleagues that respect, trust and recognize the value that you bring to the company.

Understanding the C- Level Executive mentality:

Over the past 30 some odd years I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with more than 30,000 corporate managers and C-Level ("Chiefs" of divisions such as CFO, CIO, COO, CEO, etc.) executives. 

These leaders all have one thing in common: vision. People who run companies possess vision. They can see further down the road, connect the dots and pieces of information that are all there but that most don't see. They think of concept, are able to crystallize the idea as a destination, and then lead the company to this now tangible, realistic goal. In part, this intuition stems from intelligence, experience, education, and imagination.

In the corporate world, career advancement is all about hard work, perseverance, getting results and getting recognized as a visionary leader who can solve problems. Work hard, work smart and learn from everyone and you will reach your career goals.