Don't Want to Step into Leadership Positions? Do This Instead.
In the world of Marketing, the traditional career trajectory often pushes you towards leadership roles. But what happens if that’s not what you want for your professional life?
Dr Arthur Brooks, Harvard Professor and host of Office Hours talks about the Four Career concept (based on the work of Michael Driver, Ph.D., professor of organisational behaviour at the University of Southern California): linear, expert, spiral and roamer. No single career concept is right for everyone but the linear and expert models tend to be the more traditional, wider known ones that are often-times imposed on us through societal expectations.
In this episode, I’m suggesting four options to consider if climbing the corporate ladder doesn’t appeal to you. These fall under the umbrella of the spiral career which implies “periodic lateral changes within your field every five to 10 years” (according to People Management) and the expert career type where success is defined by being the best among one’s peers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Understanding Leadership Skills.
In order to assess - and potentially dismiss - the suitability of a linear career path that ultimately leads to leadership position, it’s important to understand the key skills required for these roles. Strategic thinking is paramount, as leaders must connect business goals with marketing activities. Alongside strategic thinking, effective people management skills are also crucial. Leaders need to coach their team members, manage workloads, and build credibility with senior decision-makers. Marketing leaders also spend a significant amount of time analysing reports. AI will change and simplify this aspect of one’s work but it’ll remain an important item on leadership’s to-do list.
Rest assured, all these skills can be developed over time, making leadership more accessible than you might think (if that’s the path you want to pursue).
However, if you enjoy the tactical side of things, be it scheduling campaigns or creating content, then a promotion might strip away the aspects of your work you actually love. So what can you do in this instance?
Remain in your current position and focus on excelling in your role.
This is the expert career type. “Success for the person motivated by the expert concept is being known as the best among his or her peers” (according to the Society for Human Resource Management). While this path may come with risks (such as ageism in the marketing industry) it allows for stability. If this career type resonates with you, you’re the Marketing specialist wanting to hone your knowledge, perfect your skills, have job security, awards or publications in the Marketing field.
The second option is to make a lateral move into the agency world, where you can gain diverse experience without taking on leadership responsibilities.
This is a move that fits the spiral career model. In this case, you’re focused on broadening your skills and expertise (which might qualify you as a Marketing generalist). New positions are a natural extension of your prior work and as a result, you are likely to amass a vast amount of knowledge and experience. Main drivers: growth, curiosity and creativity.
Freelancing
This is a way of leveraging skills and contacts you’ve built over time, providing flexibility and autonomy. Start your own business, be your own boss (with all the risks and benefits involved). This is another spiral career type of move, that’s a natural progression of the previous stage.
Move out of Marketing altogether
In true spiral career fashion, you might decide to transition into an adjacent field and/or pursue further education. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, “many spirals in mid-career feel a strong desire to share their knowledge with others. This leads some spirals to become consultants or teachers” (or coaches).
Navigating career decisions is never easy but the main factor of success is being honest with yourself and understanding what motivates you. Success in marketing doesn’t have to fit a traditional mold and follow a linear career path. By understanding the demands of leadership roles and considering alternative options, you can carve out a fulfilling career that resonates with your values and definition of success.
Onwards and upwards!
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ABOUT ME
I am a marketing professional based in From zero chances of getting a job in Marketing to becoming a Marketing Director - this is my career journey in a nutshell.
After 13 years in B2B marketing, I’ve decided to support other marketing professionals in their career endeavours.
“Working with Ana exceeded my expectations. If you want marketing-specific career advice, she’s the person to go to.” Meagan, U.S.
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