Path to an Executive Position
Path to an Executive Position
(OP)
Lately I've been wondering about becoming an executive.
Maybe it's being in the trenches that doesn't feel like a good fit any more.
I seen all those people listed in Who's Who listed in AWS&T for years. I've never known any of them
Whats the best way to transition? How does someone wind up director or VP of a larger company?
We all compete for engineering lead spots when they open, but that doesn't even seem like much of a step up. Very few of the even more Sr. management I've ever met didn't seemed to have any special gift or perception at all.
Is changing companies a better time to try the transition?
Maybe it's being in the trenches that doesn't feel like a good fit any more.
I seen all those people listed in Who's Who listed in AWS&T for years. I've never known any of them
Whats the best way to transition? How does someone wind up director or VP of a larger company?
We all compete for engineering lead spots when they open, but that doesn't even seem like much of a step up. Very few of the even more Sr. management I've ever met didn't seemed to have any special gift or perception at all.
Is changing companies a better time to try the transition?





RE: Path to an Executive Position
And yes - you might have to change companies if you want to fast track - unless someone quits or dies at yours.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Path to an Executive Position
I've been around plenty of upper managers. They are human. But they are there for some reason. Maybe they're a test for the rest of us.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Personally, I like Tick's advice though.
Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Increasingly, in engineering, the managers are non-technical and are not as often grown from within as in past times. If that's the path you truly want, then pursue an MBA and take the ladder steps into management, perhaps starting at team or department levels, then moving up.
It can be volatile and the positions won't win you any friends. You'll think and say that you'll be different....you won't because you won't be allowed to be. Engineering businesses are just that..they are businesses, with much more bottom line focus than before.
There were times in engineering businesses where the technical product took precedent over a focus on profit only...and surprisingly the profit was usually there. Now the focus is on profit first, figure out how to make everyone more productive and how to keep costs down...often on the backs of the employees. Employee longevity, loyalty and technical competence are rarely valued as before.
This is not an outside observation. I've been a VP at a large international engineering firm and a Senior VP for a regional engineering firm. I stayed involved in the technical side in each, but there were those who sought to be only in management....not for me.
I didn't particularly endear myself to the corporate types. I once asked my boss (the Prez) if I had a client problem to solve or a corporate hoop to jump through, which one would I do? He guessed right and soon thereafter I was replaced as the office manager and put into a purely technical position. I couldn't have been happier!!
I have run two businesses otherwise, so management is not a big deal...corporate weenydom is.
Good luck.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
1. Arrange to be born into the right family, in the right social circles etc.
2. Attend the right school(s), quite likely private or at least in select school districts etc.
3. Attend the right college for your undergraduate degree (and join the right fraternity/sorority etc. while there).
3. Attend the right school for you MBA (or similar post grad studies)
4. Keep in touch with all your high placed contacts.
5. Marry the right girl/guy.
6. Run a couple of companies into the ground, the important thing isn't that the company does well, it's that you get promoted to executive position. So making short term decisions that help you meet this quarters numbers is more important than long term stability, because by the time negative consequences catch up with you you plan to be in another position, quite possibly in a different company.
7. Once you reach the VP type level, you're golden. It doesn't matter if you suck and get fired at every company you work for. It seems that once you've been an executive some company somewhere will hire you because you have experience. It doesn't seem to matter if that experience was running the company into the ground.
8. If it reaches a point that you're so bad that even 'having experience' doesn't get you the job, don't worry, just enter politics.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Path to an Executive Position
I just had to paste a star on his post!
RE: Path to an Executive Position
1. Dress for the part you want; ties, jackets, suits if necessary
2. Make yourself known to the executives; don't be shy to talk them up in the hall, elevator, coffee line, wherever you see them.
3. Make sure they know your name, introduce yourself if you have too.
4. Let your plans be known, planting the seed can never be done too early.
5. Attend company social functions, stay sober, be seen.
6. If that doesn't work...do like Kenat said and run some other company into the ground.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Ron
RE: Path to an Executive Position
I agree with KENATS point 7, I have seen a few incompetent directors get 6 figure 'golden handshakes'.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
You need to ask yourself if making "money" is more important than making "things".
Engineers - at least good ones - tend to keep executives out of prison. Executives, conversely, reciprocate by keeping engineers out of work.
Regards,
SNORGY.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
ysm
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Old news; Zenger Miller management courses pushed non-technical managers nearly 3 decades ago. I've had good managers, both tecnical and not.
The salient feature of a good manager is to know what NOT to do, i.e., you paid a salary to someone to do something, so you should get out of their way. The worst managers are those that attempt to do engineering or attempt to out-engineer their subordinates, while neglecting to mind the store.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize
RE: Path to an Executive Position
To get into Management, here is a sure fire way:
1. Ensure you are in a growing company. Companies downsizing or stuggling to make a small profit are not good areas to get ahead. Companies with a big age gap between the experienced employees and new hires is an exception to this rule.
2. Instead of looking up the management chain looking for opportunities to exploit one of the techniques above, focus downward. Ensure all the tasks you are given are done completely and thoroughly. Never be arrogant or bully your co-workers. Treat everyone equally as they are all important for the company to operate. Continue this practice once you are awarded your first supervisory position. Take care of your team and fight to ensure they have the tools and environment they need to be successful. Keep the focus downward and ensure the work gets done and you are building a sustainable team. Be the person whos team can relied upon to get something done correctly.
This works. It can and usually does take longer. But ultimately, you will have the full responsibility of Management and shape the future direction of the company. Taking the short cuts listed above causes you to become an empty suit. Nice title, good salary, but a head that is going to be deemed unnecessary in a financial crises. When times get tough, you will be surprised how fast top levels of management will turn on each other to survive. Best golfing buddies would cut each others throats in order to keep their jobs.
RE: Path to an Executive Position
RE: Path to an Executive Position
Back in January, the VP told me we need to start talking about how to move me up, but i haven't heard anything since then.
Come Monday he and I are having a heart or heart. It has been a fight for the last two years.