CBCP 04 - Contribution Based Career Progression

<< Previous | Contribution Based Career Progression: If we take a really close look, for the sake of argument, we may say that there is a certain degree of commonality and some kind of overlap, even though to a very small extent, among the four types of career-progressions discussed in the previous parts or sections. Contribution Based Career Progression is philosophically different compared to the other types of career-progressions discussed so far.

In case of Contribution Based Career Progression, the person (“Contributor”) in question takes a very careful and close look at the bigger picture (a department or a strategic business unit or a regional business unit or a specific business line or a specific product line or a specific process area or a specific business function or a specific customer cluster or the organization as a whole etc.) and tries to identify the 'aspects' that can be improved substantially (or 'areas' where net-new development can be done) using the abilities, skills, competencies, knowledge and experience possessed by the Contributor, in question, to add value to the organization as a whole. The person also tries to identify and evaluate the problem-areas in the bigger picture that can be addressed and solved using the abilities, skills, competencies, knowledge |and experience of the Contributor. In this case, the person values and evaluates who he or she naturally is and builds upon his or her own foundation of skills and knowledge, for growth.

The Contributor in question, based on his or her observations and analysis, explicitly identifies the areas and scopes in which he or she can contribute in real terms, outside and in addition to the scope of his or her current job (tasks or role), to either solve problems or implement enhancements. Those problems solved and enhancements implemented potentially result in, in the true sense of the term, value addition to the organization. It usually requires the Contributor to get the necessary official permissions and resources to get started with the contributions in question. In some cases, the person in question designs, develops and implements the solution(s). Sometimes, in appropriate cases, the implementation part is done by some one else, for the sake of effectiveness and efficiency. The case is not much different when it comes to defining, designing, developing and implementing specific enhancements or net new developments of substantial value.

Let’s take a look at this situation. You continue to perform the same set of job-tasks. Your role does not change and the extent of value addition done by you remains the same. However, you happen to get a Promotion and a Salary Hike (Raise), at the end of the year. Do you consider this as an instance of Career Progression? Is career Progression all about financial gain and more power (bigger designation)? Career-progression happens (starts) exactly in parallel to the greater contribution in question. In this case, the contribution (or set of contributions) itself becomes the very platform for and triggers a career-progression. The career-progression, in this context is not a goal (Contribution is the goal). Career-progression, in this case, is rather a byproduct of the contribution process (Value-Delivery Process). However, it is clearly, in this case, not an instance of accidental or opportunity-based career-progression discussed in the previous section(s). In this case, progression is all about doing something better or bigger or newer, and delivering a bigger value.

Contribution Based Career-Progression involves the following clearly defined steps.

1. Identification: In this step, identification of ‘Problems or Areas of Improvements or Opportunities for net new value-adding Developments’ takes place.

2. Mapping: Linking the three scopes – The Problem Scope or Goal or Target, The Solution Scope (The “what” part of the solution) and Recourse Scope (That is, The Solution Source >> abilities, skills, competencies, knowledge and experience). In this process (step), a mapping is created to find an answer to the following question. Which area of the person’s abilities, skills, competencies, knowledge, experience and inclination can be best used to address which area of the problem-scope?

3. Communicate forward: Let the leaders (Management) know! The management or leadership of the organization is made aware of the ideas, intentions and the proposal by the Contributor in question, seeking official approvals to proceed with the plan. 'Mutually Agreeable Expectations' (MAEs) are set pertaining to the outcomes, as well, in this step.

4. Analysis of the proposal: The proposal is carefully analyzed in detail by the management or leadership of the organization to ascertain feasibility (of implementation) and impact (type and size) on the organization.

5. Communicate back: Management or Organizational Leadership communicates its post-analysis decision to the Contributor in question. That communication pronounces a GO or NO-GO!

6. Determination of the course of action: Once the mapping is done and a list of linked problems-resources-solutions is ready, a detailed plan of action is created to define the precise actions or tasks to be performed in the context of each problem or enhancement or net-new development. This step also takes care of 'time and resource allocation' for the actions or tasks so charted. Benchmarks are set pertaining to the outcomes.

7. Authority and resources: In case of a GO (approval - Full or Partial), the required permissions, authority and resources are granted to the Contributor to execute his or her action-plan.

8. Ownership and control: The Contributor assumes ownership and control of the context (Problem (Goal)-Resource-Action-Solution). And, he or she gets started with the execution of the plan or proposal. This is where the career-progression has already happened (started)! And, there is still a long way to go.

9. Implementation: The ideas or plans are implemented and results are monitored.

10. Evaluation: The results are evaluated and (if possible) quantified and compared against the benchmarks.

11. Career progression: In case the results are at par with (or exceed) the expectations set initially, the person in question gets the full credit of the success so achieved and his or her career-progression attains the final state.

Conclusion: In this case, the contributions are the bricks that build the building of career-progression. Contribution Based Career Progression is believed to be the most modern, practical and sophisticated type of career-progression one may pursue. It leads to a win-win situation and really benefits the business-organization and the Contributor in question. This type of career-progression is well earned and rewarding. The author encourages organizations and employees (Contributors) to go for a shift in paradigm and start a new era in the context of career-progression. Contribution Based Career Progression is based on a person’s passion, inclination, internal strengths and a desire to DO! It is based on mutual trust. Contribution Based Career Progression is all about becoming an absolute and active part of the very process of exceptional value delivery. It is about becoming a very part of DOING it, and living every moment of it. It is all about the satisfaction derived directly from the very act of delivering substantial value on the basis of YOUR strengths, inclinations, ambitions and abilities. Satisfaction, in general, leads to happiness - an immensely important factor in life and professional career. In this type of Career Progression, all the dots are well connected and the results are absolutely beautiful. Does that make any sense?  Next Page >>

Contribution Based Career Progression - Part 4 by Debi Prasad Mahapatra is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.