Moving Into Management

On November 6th, I was a member of a panel discussion hosted by the Environmental Business Council's Young Professionals committee. The topic, "Moving from Analyst, Scientist, and Engineer to Project Manager" proved a lively discussion between the panel and the more than 75 young environmental professionals and college students.

The audience was most interested in what it takes to get into management. Consensus among the panel was that while technical skills are important, it is soft skills, like motivation, drive, and emotional intelligence that matter most.

They key to moving into management is to stand out from the crowd! And how do you that? Incorporate the following in to the way you approach your work...

• Work hard...show up early, stay late, meet deadlines and crank out the work!
• Show interest...in responsibilities and projects outside the scope of your job, in the growth of your team, and in the company's values, mission, and strategy.
• Network internally...build relationships with people outisde your department, particularly company leadership.
• Get involved...join committees, attend events.
• Find a mentor...latch on to a company manager, seek their wisdom and coaching.
• Own something...find a project or task to take the lead on.
• Admit mistakes & weaknesses...own up to your mix-ups, nobody's perfect and mistakes happen. Recognize that you have things to work on...and start working on them!

So many things factor into management decisions, but making these considerations a part of the way you work will go a long way in helping you stand out to the company's leadership.