Features

Moving Lateral to Move Up

Author(s):

Lynne A. Sarikas
Lynne A. Sarikas is director for the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University College of Business in Boston.

June 2012, Inside Supply Management^® Vol. 23, No. 5, page 34

As supply management gains more influence within companies, it's crucial to develop a broad understanding of the organization to advance your career.

In today's organizations, it's not always true that the only way to move is up. Sometimes the best way to advance your career in the long run is to take a lateral move in the short run. Career advancement opportunities are frequently offered to those who have a broad base of knowledge within the company or industry, and who have developed a critical skill set. This is particularly true for leaders in the supply chain field.

As supply chain functions become more mission critical to the success of the business, expect an increased demand for supply management leaders — often at the senior level. Succeeding as a supply management professional means understanding how the complete supply chain works and how the systems all work together. As a leader, this is often what differentiates the finest in this area — those who demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the overall processes (both tactical and strategic) so they can help prioritize projects for the organization at large and keep the supply management team focused on broader objectives.

You can easily become focused on a specific aspect of supply management and become a functional expert. While that may initially lead to promotion opportunities within the function, your career growth is often fairly limited. For those aspiring to senior management and executive positions, there are typically only a finite number of opportunities to advance within a single function, and not all functions have representatives at the senior leadership level. Supply chain management is a multifaceted discipline that requires exposure to various aspects to be perceived as a supply chain expert. It is crucial to develop expertise and experience in purchasing, operations, logistics, material resource planning (MRP) applications, cost reduction, logistics and trade compliance. This depth of experience and expertise is more likely to lead qualified individuals to potential senior leadership positions than specialization in a single facet of supply chain management.

To gain that insight and experience, sometimes the most strategic career move is a lateral one. Moving from director of procurement to director of planning may be a lateral move at the moment, but the longer-term potential for those with broader experience expands exponentially. Such a move may be the best preparation for a future role in senior leadership. So, how do you determine if a lateral move is strategic?

Exit the Comfort Zone

To determine if a lateral move is right for you, consider your long-term career goals by honestly assessing what skills and experience are valued by the organization, and what is required for the future positions you aspire to hold. Talk to people who hold the positions you aspire to, and ask what skills and experiences they consider critical to success. If this honest analysis identifies holes in your résumé, this discovery is not a drawback. Rather, it is an opportunity for you to benefit significantly from a lateral assignment that offers needed experience.

Consider it a win-win if a senior leader in the company asks you to do something specific in a different area for a defined period of time. Perhaps the director of procurement is on extended medical leave and senior management asks you to provide temporary coverage of that role, while your team handles your current responsibilities. You may have been asked because your senior leaders want to gauge how well you perform in a different function. Part of the career path, no matter what the course, usually involves taking another perspective. This may require stepping out of your comfort zone.

This crossover increases your value by exposing you to something new and different, and can set you apart from the pack. Your willingness to take a lateral move to intentionally develop needed skills and experience is a clear signal to senior management that you are serious about a successful supply chain career — you are willing to walk the walk. It is not unusual for temporary, lateral-level moves to result in significant new opportunities down the road if all goes well. Being open to new experiences is part of career growth.

However, there are situations when a lateral move may not be in your best interest. If you're considering a lateral move because you're tired of what you're doing and want a change, it is not a strategic move. Unless you are going to learn new things and gain additional skills and experience, staying at the same level can be a career-limiting decision. Do not accept a lateral move just for a change of pace. You owe it to yourself to be more strategic about your career. If your job is being eliminated and your only alternative is a lateral move, you may think about it differently; however, avoid the temptation to accept anything simply out of desperation. The position needs to interest you and add value to your longer-term career goals that you have identified.

Build Business Acumen

Exposure to the various aspects of the supply chain may not be enough to land you in the corner office, however. There are other tenets that come into play in achieving a senior position. Understanding and knowledge are two themes whose roads all point back to success. The most valued supply chain professionals also need to understand the business so they can effectively manage the supply chain organization. Whether it's marketing, finance, legal or technology principles, knowledge in these areas is crucial to supporting supply chain decisions. While it is not necessary to work directly in those functional areas, seeking specific assignments that provide significant interaction with these functions can add valuable skills to the supply chain professional's portfolio.

And it's not only hard skills that are important, but also soft skills such as communicating effectively, analyzing data, persuading others when you have no authority over them and working in cross-functional teams. When there's an opportunity to collaborate with business units outside supply management, use it to better understand the interconnectedness of other functions of the supply chain and the organization. This knowledge offers a competitive supply management and business perspective as you progress in your career in your organization.

Rise Above the Competition

In many leading organizations, exposure to supply management functions and business disciplines is available through internal leadership development programs that foster supply chain leaders of the future. Companies hire high-potential individuals, and over the course of two or three years, rotate them through several key functional areas within the organization to gain exposure and experience with various aspects of the supply chain and other business operations. Those who successfully complete the program may move into management positions where their broad base of experience serves them well.

Whether your next career move is vertical or lateral, your résumé must effectively convey your supply chain experience. Just as you need to assess your career goals, also assess your current résumé in an honest fashion. Look at your metrics and actions. What have you done to improve a process, save money or move the department forward? Use action verbs and share statistics to put your accomplishments in perspective. Frame your accomplishments in terms of delivering results for the company and making a difference.

The decision to invest in your career by accepting a strategic lateral move to expand your knowledge and experience can be the key to longer-term success. Doing the homework — expanding your skills, helping other team members, crossing over into new territory (even temporarily) and enhancing your résumé — are all components that will hasten your goals (short- and long-term), presenting yourself as a supply chain leader with a competitive edge over other candidates. These efforts, over time, can enhance your career options and your personal fulfillment.

For more information, send an e-mail to author@ism.ws.

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