The Right-and Wrong-Stuff: How Brilliant Careers Are Made and Unmade

by Carter Cast

“As you progress [in your career], your relationship with others is more important than your knowledge of and relationship with data. This need kicks in as you move into middle and upper management. It’s a mind-set change.” He continued, “You have to suppress your ego, let go of having the answer, and embrace the relational world. It becomes less about having competencies and more about engendering trust.”

Just because you show up on time for every meeting, follow directions and do your part doesn’t mean you’re a high performer or should get promoted. There are plenty of people out there who fall into a bucket I call “process facilitators.” They move things along on the proverbial assembly line but they don’t drive organizational change. They’re in a very different category than the high performers who bust out and create something that wasn’t there before.