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    Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion the X Factor
    Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion the X Factor
    Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion the X Factor
    Ebook385 pages5 hours

    Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion the X Factor

    By Lorenzo G. Flores

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    About this ebook

    Learn how to manage the forces that shape your career

    The X Factor In Career Advancement

    The Perfect Myth: The Conventional Wisdom Models

    The Real World Model: Find A Way To Get Pre-selected

    The Multi cultural Promotion Track Simulation Game

    Achieving A Break Through: How To Effectively Use This Book

    Changing the Career Advancement Paradigm. The new paradigm states that there is no substitute for hard work and working the politics of the organization. Without dialogue about career politics organizations will never realize the degree to which politics drains morale and undermines productivity.

    If you are not career savvy, you can bet your competitors will be. The book promotes the development of better career decision making skills through an understanding of promotion politics.

    The book fills a void - not fully addressed by Executive Leadership Programs, Management Training and Career Counseling Curriculums. Career Advancement is a discipline with principles that can be taught and mastered.

    The secret to Career Advancement is cutting time off the learning curve. The book features a frame work that can help x-ray the organizations promotion practices. Your success is only as good as your ability to analyze and work with the organizations politics.

    The Art of Promotion Politics. The book engages the reader at a deeper level of thinking by presenting new concepts, compelling quotes and incisive career shaping questions.

    The Book Is Must Reading
    Anyone interested in career advancement or safeguarding their position in todays competitive organizations will benefit from the text. This cutting edge book, contains insights that higher-ups tend to share only with people in their inner circle of friends. It will help organizations maintain a fair and level career playing field.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateNov 23, 2009
    ISBN9781420807561
    Executive Career Advancement: How to Understand the Politics of Promotion the X Factor
    Author

    Lorenzo G. Flores

    Lawrence Flores, Ph.D. is the premiere speaker in the field of Career Advancement Dynamics.  He has pioneered research into the Theory and Practice of Promotion Politics.  He feels that Career Advancement skills are on the same level of importance as Leadership and Management skills.    In addition to this book, he has designed a fun learning game The Multi cultural Promotion Track Game.  The simulation has earned national recognition.  He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies, Master of Public Administration and Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California.  Undergraduate degree in Police Science/Corrections from San Jose State University.  Background includes work as a Director of Social Work, probation officer and college instructor.   www.CareerAdvancementDynamics.com LGFlores1@aol.com                        Phone  (559)  222 - 6307

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      Book preview

      Executive Career Advancement - Lorenzo G. Flores

      This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

      © 2009 Lorenzo G. Flores, Ph.D.. All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

      First published by AuthorHouse 11/20/2009

      ISBN: 978-1-4208-0756-1 (ebk)

      ISBN: 978-1-4208-0755-4 (sc)

      Contents

      Preface

      Introduction

      Introduction to the Multi-Cultural Promotion Track Simulation Game

      Chapter 1

      Career Advancement Politics: A New Discipline

      Conventional Career Wisdom vs.

      Real World Career Realities

      Career Advancement Politics: A New Discipline

      Career Advancement Politics: A New Discipline

      Career Advancement Theory

      Summary

      Summary

      Chapter 2

      The Real World Model for

      Career Advancement

      Introduction to

      The Real World Model for Career Advancement

      Introduction to The Real World Model for Career Advancement

      Background Qualifications

      Background Qualifications: Fully Qualified

      Preferred Qualifications

      Preferred Qualifications

      Preferred Qualifications: Unofficial Secondary Traits

      The Paradox Of Background Qualifications

      Promotion By Comfort Zone Primary Traits and Secondary Traits

      Primary Traits are Door Openers, but

      Secondary Traits are Destiny

      Acceptance

      Conditional Acceptance

      Unconditional Acceptance

      Paradox Of Acceptance

      Acceptance: An Essential Management Tool

      The Opportunity Structure

      The Opportunity Structure

      Low Profile Opportunity

      Low Profile Opportunity

      High Profile Opportunity

      High Profile Opportunity

      The Dual Paradoxes Of Opportunity

      Opportunity Structure: A Key Management Tool

      Assessing The Potential Of An Assignment

      Networking

      Networking by Inclusion

      Networking By Exclusion

      Networking By Exclusion

      Paradox Of Networking

      Network System: The Difference Between Inclusion And Exclusion

      Mentoring

      Mentoring

      Common Goal Mentoring

      Common Goal Mentoring

      Extraordinary Mentoring

      Extraordinary Mentoring

      Extraordinary Mentoring

      The Paradox Of Mentoring

      Comparing The Mentoring Concepts

      Strategic Promotion

      Seek A Promotion Or Remain In Place

      The Concept Of Plateauing

      Causes of Career Plateauing As Defined by Management

      The Concept of Advancement

      The Concept of Advancement

      The Concept Of Advancement

      The Concept Of Advancement

      The Concept Of Advancement

      Strategic Promotion Dual Paradoxes

      Overview Of Plateau and

      Strategic Promotion Process

      Summary: The Real World Model

      Summary: Real World Model

      Chapter 3

      The Conventional Wisdom Models for

      Career Advancement

      The Conventional Wisdom Models For Career Advancement

      The Perfect Myth: The Traditional Career Path Model

      The Perfect Myth: The Traditional Career Path Model

      Step 1. Education

      Step 1. Education

      Step 2. Hard Work

      Step 2. Hard Work

      Step 3. Teamwork

      Step 4. Cooperate With The Boss

      Step 4. Cooperate With The Boss

      Step 5.

      The Best-Qualified Person Is Always Promoted

      Weak Point #1 The Traditional Career Path Model Fails to Address the Needs of Today’s Workforce

      Weak Point #1 The Traditional Career Path Model Fails to Address the Needs of Today’s Workforce

      Weak Point #2 The Traditional Career Path Model Fosters a False Sense of Security by Promoting Intellectualization

      Weak Point #2

      The Traditional Career Path Model Fosters a

      False Sense of Security by Promoting Intellectualizing

      Weak Point #2 The Traditional Career Path Model Fosters a False Sense of Security by Promoting Intellectualizing

      Weak Point #2 The Traditional Career Path Model Fosters a False Sense of Security by Promoting Intellectualizing

      Weak Point #3 The Traditional Career Path Model Represents a Great Theory, but Flawed Reality

      Weak Point #4 The Traditional Career Path Model

      Shows that Form Does Not Follow Function

      Chapter 4

      Content Of Character: A Model for Career Advancement

      Content of Character A Model for Career Advancement

      Content of Character A

      Model for Career Advancement

      How Some Executives Use and Abuse the

      Content of Character Model

      Content of Character Model Weak Points

      Weak Point #1 Content of Character Model Downplays the Idea of

      Promotion Politics

      Weak Point #2 The Content of Character Model Stresses that People Make it on Their Own

      Summary

      Summary

      Chapter 5

      The Sports Model for

      Career Advancement

      The Sports Model for Career Advancement

      Competition Brings Out The Best In People

      2. Human Sacrifice

      3. Symbolism and Pageantry

      The Workplace is not a Sports Arena

      How the Sports Model Fails in the Workplace

      How the Sports Model Fails in the Workplace

      2

      Denies the Duality of Organizational Behavior

      How the Sports Model Fails in the Workplace

      3

      Fosters a Gladiator Mindset

      How the Sports Model Fails in the Workplace

      4

      Sports Builds Character and Teaches Cheating

      Why the Sports Model Fails in the Workplace

      5

      Assuming That All Employees Are Sports Fans

      Summary

      Overview of the Sports Model: The Good, the Bad, and the Nasty

      Sports Jargon Used In The Workplace

      Chapter 6

      View the Conventional Wisdom Models with Healthy Skepticism

      View the Conventional Wisdom Models with Healthy Skepticism

      View The Conventional Wisdom Models

      With

      Healthy Skepticism

      The Conventional Wisdom Models

      Are Here to Stay

      Demystifying the Conventional Wisdom Models

      Does the Premise Match the Practice?

      Conventional Wisdom: A Contradiction in Terms?

      Chapter 7

      The Surreal Model for Career Advancement

      The Surreal Model for Career Advancement

      The Six Laws of

      Private Preferential Treatment

      Law of Preferential Treatment

      Law of Preferential Treatment

      Law of Preferential Treatment 2.

      Law of Preferential Treatment 2

      Law of Preferential Treatment 3.

      Law of Preferential Treatment 4.

      Law of Preferential Treatment 5.

      Law of Preferential Treatment 6.

      Law of Preferential Treatment 6

      Fear of Fairness a Surreal Phobia

      Summary

      Summary

      Summary

      Chapter 8

      Fairness: A Revolutionary Concept in

      Career Advancement Politics

      Fairness: A Revolutionary Concept in Career Advancement Politics

      Fair Play in Career Advancement

      Chapter 9

      A New Paradigm for

      Career Advancement

      A New Paradigm for

      Career Advancement

      Contrasting the

      Career Advancement Paradigms

      Contrasting the

      Career Advancement Paradigms

      Summary

      Chapter 10

      Do Organizations Have the Political Will to Talk About the Politics of Promotion?

      Discussing Career Advancement Politics

      Discussing Career Advancement Politics

      Chapter 11

      How to Use This Interactive Book

      How to Use This Interactive Book

      1

      Use This Book To Initiate Discussions

      2

      Value The Other Person’s Point Of View

      3

      Be Patient

      4

      Look For Areas You Have in Common with People

      5

      Management May Not Be Ready, Willing, or Able to Discuss the Politics of Career Advancement

      6

      Respect the Other Person

      7

      Play and Learn from the

      Multi-Cultural Promotion Track Simulation

      Game

      8

      Establish the Need for an Ongoing Dialogue

      9

      Be a Life-Long Learner

      10

      Discuss the Politics of Promotion Without Fear

      11

      Understand That People’s Values Are Very Personal

      Summary

      Summary

      Chapter 12

      The Multi-Cultural Promotion Track Simulation Game

      The Multi-Cultural Promotion Track Game

      How The Educational Concept Works

      How the Educational Concept Works

      How The Educational Concept Works

      Critical Thinking Objectives

      Critical Thinking Objectives

      About The Author

      Bibliography

      Selected Reading Bibliography

      Dedicated to Javier, Teresa, and Jennifer Make A Difference

      Preface

      We are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.

      Sir Francis Bacon

      I want to get promoted, but I don’t want to play the game. This statement reflects the fact that most people want to move up the career ladder but are unsure of how to deal with the political end of career advancement. Unfortunately, career advancement is not a do-it-yourself program. While it may look like advancement can be achieved by individual effort, it actually requires the push and pull of influential people and special interest groups, getting someone to the top. People seeking advancement often decide that they must move into the zone of promotion politics. Intuitively, they know that career advancement is too important to be left in the hands of management. They realize that there is too much at stake to leave the discussion of career politics at the level of office gossip.

      How This Book Can Benefit You

      This book promotes the development of better career decision-making skills through an understanding of promotion politics.

      The concepts in this book will give readers a mental frame of reference that will allow them to discuss career advancement as they would any other matter of organization business. For example, what implications does career advancement politics have for leadership? When someone is promoted to an executive position, do we get the best leader, the best politico, or a hybrid? The politics of promotion plays an important but largely overlooked role in leadership. Very likely, executives would not be in their leadership positions if they did not have a working knowledge of the politics of promotion. People committed to career advancement understand that hard work alone will not get them promoted.

      All politics are based on the indifference of the majority.

      James Reston

      Maintaining A Healthy Work Environment

      The dynamics of career advancement are critical to the leadership and management process. They go to the heart of morale, productivity, and control in the work environment.

      Not discussing career advancement politics makes it highly conspicuous by its absence. We are uncomfortable with the sometimes messy details that accompany the politics of power. It is easier to be enthralled with the latest bandwagon leadership techniques and catchy buzz words. Not to mention fire walking for building self-confidence and executive wilderness survival skills. Unfortunately, as well intended as these are, they are sometimes misused in an attempt to answer the deeper questions about the personal politics and the promotion practices of making it to the top. A new level of appreciation is needed for the complexities that surround career development.

      True Grit

      While extolling the virtues of hard work, this book takes on the tough subject of promotions politics. It takes an unflinching look at the critical role that politics plays in shaping careers.

      For example, if we know that some of our beliefs about career advancement are not exactly accurate, why do people continue to promote them? Do they lack information or are they in denial? The aim of this book is to encourage intellectual curiosity and create a more level playing field by eliminating negative promotion practices. This is done by presenting conceptual models that help people approach career politics in a more informed way.

      Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.

      Abraham Lincoln

      One reason so much misinformation regarding career advancement exists is that many people have not been encouraged to think of career advancement in any way other than what has been taught to them at home, in school, in the military, or in the office. That is: performance is all that counts. As homilies go, the idea that performance is all that counts has a nice ring to it. It evokes images of being promoted after years of working strenuously in the organization’s vineyards. Although it conjures up mental pictures of one making it on his or her own, it conveniently skips over the dark side of executive performance as it relates to the politics of promotion. Many executives need to examine their relationship to this idea. The truth be known, in the world of executive career climbing, the notion that performance is all that counts doesn’t come close to describing what a person has to do to become king of the hill and maintain that position. To move ahead in a positive way, we need to respect the hard work ethic. We also need to build on this value in order to create a higher level of understanding.

      Pushing The Envelope of

      Career Advancement Knowledge

      No training needs assessment is complete without questions about career advancement politics.

      Today’s workforce wants a level playing field. Employees want to know about the formal and informal sides of moving up the career ladder. Therein lies the uniqueness of this book, which sets forth a framework for discussion and expands the boundaries of information available about the politics of promotion.

      The ability to tap into the business, social, and political sides of one’s career is critical to achieving a higher position. Since most people want to advance, it is imperative that they invest time in understanding the forces that shape their careers. Thus, we need to find the right words and be cognizant of perspectives that enable us to present our ideas.

      Safeguard your position by practicing defensive and offensive career strategies.

      Lorenzo Flores

      Career Advancement Dynamics, and the politics of promotion represent a major piece of working knowledge missing from the big picture of career development. This book provides constructive ways to fill in these information gaps. Sometimes executives attempt to fill in the void by stressing hard work, leadership, and teamwork skills. One must master these topics, but also be adept at career politics in order to survive the pressures from competitive peer rivals. On many levels, the book gives a voice to people who might not otherwise have a way to analyze and change the organization’s promotion practices.

      Career Advancement Dynamics: An Essential Discipline

      Image589.JPG

      © Copyright              All Rights Reserved

      Introduction

      I do not believe such quality as chance exists.

      Every incident that happens must be a link in a chain.

      Benjamin Disraeli

      For many high-reaching people, the American dream includes career advancement. They realize that they have about thirty years to make it to the top, or at least to some position near the top. Unfortunately, to make this dream come true they must travel down the rocky road of Career Advancement Politics. In spite of their hard work and honesty, many people feel betrayed when they wake up in the middle of the American dream and realize that their

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