The Unwritten Rules: The Six Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level

by John Beeson

Maximize your chances to get promoted to the executive levelAs predictable career paths have become extinct in most organizations, managers aspiring to the C-level job are left to their own devices to determine how to advance their careers. Even in companies committed to talent development, guidance to aspiring executives is often vague and contradictory. This happens, executive coach John Beeson argues, because executive promotions are made based on the decision makers' intuitive sense of whether or not a manager can succeed at higher levels within the organization. Beeson decodes these leadership criteria--the unwritten rules--that companies use to make decisions about who gets promoted and who doesn't, and identifies the six core "selection factors" that are imperative for success at the executive levelDemonstrating strategic skills Building a strong management team Managing implementation Exhibiting the capacity for innovation and change Working across organizational boundaries Projecting executive presence Filled with stories of managers who successfully climbed up the executive ladder-and some who struggled-The Unwritten Rules is an invaluable resource for aspiring executives.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2010

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four stars because they aren't actually unwritten rules if they're written in this book.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author had some really good points that are helpful for someone who wants to be promoted in their organization. One of the key points is that you have to get honest feedback so you can understand what’s holding you back. Then he explained the unwritten rules. These were not things that surprised me, but I did appreciate how he explained what is really meant by these unwritten rules. For example, Executive Presence often means control of the room and control of emotions. Overall, this was a descent book.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended by a mentor and very much worth the read. Very direct and helpful with opportunities to grow.