Ready to Move Up?

How promotable are you? Or, more important, how promotable does your company think you are? ClearRock, a Massachusetts coaching and outplacing company surveyed 100 companies and found most of them think their middle managers are qualified to move up. A solid third, though, thought they were unqualified:

"At best, most companies rate their middle managers as being in the middle of the pack and sorely in need of the strategic thinking and leadership skills that will help raise them to the next level." said Greg Gostanian, a ClearRock managing partner.

Strategic thinking and leadership skills ranked as the top one and two skills companies believe that middle managers need to develop. Communication, developing direct reports and motivating people followed.

Where do you get these skills? The Louisville Courier-Journal says 25 percent of the companies are providing more coaching than they were two years ago, but another 25 percent are providing less.

One-quarter of companies are providing more coaching and management development than two years ago while another quarter are giving less management preparation. Instead, companies are spending more time developing employees who are early in their careers, according to Stevens.

Many middle managers viewed as not promotable [Louisville Courier-Journal]