A colleague used the phrase Tripping Points in conversation the other night to describe what leaders and management teams go through in attempting to take businesses from one level to the next.

Firms and teams run into natural Tripping Points in the form of infrastructure and know-how as they work to grow a firm from start-up to $10 million or from $10 million to $25 million and so on.  Often, the only viable solution to get beyond a Tripping Point is to retool the management team with people that have experience creating the infrastructure and programs/teams/processes needed to reach the next few levels.

I can easily apply Tripping Point thinking to the challenges that we as professionals face in advancing our careers and in particular, in developing as leaders.  Awareness of your prospective Tripping Points is an important first step in creating your personal and professional development plan.

In my article, Career Growth and the Product Manager in The Pragmatic Marketer Magazine, I outlined the critical skills that product managers must develop to become senior contributors and leaders.  In hindsight, I was referencing the Tripping Points that impact not only product managers seeking to develop as leaders, but all professionals interested in advancing.

The Five Tripping Points of Emerging Leaders

1. Strategic thinking skills-the ability to see the big picture, to look at patterns in the marketplace and assemble pictures that others don’t see into competitive, value-creating strategies.

2. Business acumen-Ram Charan describes this as the ability of the leader to understand how the firm makes money in the language of a street vendor.

3. Inbound communication skills-especially the ability to ask questions, listen intently and interpret what people truly mean or are thinking, which is often different than the words they are voicing.

4. Outbound communication skills-the ability to translate complex ideas into simple concepts that resonate with others and that promote positive action.

5. Diplomatic skills-the ability to broker value-creating relationships and resolve disputes with the finesse of an ambassador.
—

The Tripping Points have profound implications for us as we seek to grow and expand in our careers, and they are THE issues we need to focus on as we seek to develop others around us.

As simple as the points are, we are often blind to our own limitations in these areas.  So are the people you are seeking to develop.

Use the Tripping Points as filters to evaluate the advancement and maturity of your team members, and as the basis for creating developmental assignments.  Use these points as the basis for coaching and feedback.

For your own purposes, seek feedback and coaching about the perception of your competence and maturity in each of these areas. Be aware of your limitations and areas of discomfort, and if necessary, design your own developmental assignments to ensure that you gain experience and refine your skills in the right areas.

We all have Tripping Points, and while perhaps there are truly limits to our individual abilities, I remain convinced that with awareness, focused effort and coaching, we can advance our skils and increase our contributions to our firms.