“Climbing the corporate ladder” is a common expression that describes progressing in your career.
A ladder is a fairly useful object to climb a structure. Ladders are uniform. Each rung is an equal distance apart, and it’s easiest to climb one rung at a time. And when you’re on a ladder, you’re usually going in one direction.
This isn’t how it works in the real-world. Your professional life will be anything but uniform. The next step in your career isn’t necessarily the level above you. And even if it was, the steps aren’t the same distance apart like a ladder.
You may be tasked with leading your own team. Or you may be elevated to a different part of the organisation. Or you may appreciate that your current position is the best for you because you can maximise your impact and your reward. You may jump ahead by more than one level. Or you may go out on your own.
It really can go in so many different ways.
So the corporate ladder isn’t a ladder at all. If you’re framing your advancement purely around the next rung above you, just be careful of the opportunities that you may be missing.
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