Author

John Beeson

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This review was submitted by anthonyvigneron.

 Ideally you would read this book at the start of your career to increase your potential to make it to executive level! John Beeson decrypts the often untold and misunderstood signs and feedback used to define suitability for executive leadership. 

If you've just missed out on an executive promotion you thought you deserved, wanted to learn about what "else" you needed to do, this book absolutely helps you learn how to seek the feedback that matters and what you should focus on next over the next 6-12 months and you'll be ready to land that promotion to executive level. 

John Beeson reveals in great details the Unwritten Rules or key "selection - and also de-selection! - factors" to reach executive level. He does this so well it can be an uncomfortable read at times when you realise you don't exhibit all those selection factors, which is very likely why your career didn't progress as expected! 

What are these key selection and deselection factors? 

- the basic, assumed non-negotiable factors 
- Demonstrating strategic competencies 
- Building a strong management team 
- Managing implementation of strategy 
- Exhibiting capacity for innovation and change 
- Mastering working across organisation boundaries (including outside the organisation) 
- Projecting executive presence 
- weak interpersonal skills and narrow, parochial perspective on the business and the organisation 
- putting self-interest above the company good 

To illustrate these unwritten rules J.Beeson tells stories of individuals, some successful, some not. 

This book is not only a tool to take your own career progression to executive level but also for anyone responsible for developing staff, armed with 360 reviews feedback and this guidance. 
This isn't a step by step how-to guide but it helps you realise what else is required (and what should stop!) beyond your current good performance and professional skills and focus your attention to meet those selection factors for readiness for potential promotion. 

Thank you for sharing John!

Comments

Lpaine's picture
Training Badge

There is nothing earth shattering in this book.  Any of us who have been in management for any length of time can see where Beeson is coming from.  I came away with a renewed perspective that most managers manage from the perspecctive of fear and as a result do not give directs fair, honest, open, and valuable performance feedback.

At one point in the book, I thought I must be reading a Manager Tools book.  Many of the things Mike and Mark talke about are here in this book.  For instance, Beeson says you want to be known as the manager of people who get promoted.  Where did we here that?  From Mike!

A friend and I had an opportunity to do a 2 hour seminar as part of a 2 day conference.  We used the book as a take off point.

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