I never think of anything other than how to be in the middle management. I was struggling to get the position not long ago :) Pathetic.
Until one day...
Allah make me see this situation:
An executive in her 50s, single mum with more than 3 kids. Her ex-husband was not a good contributer. I listen to her story and struggle. Nevertheless, she has this "seniority" attitude that wasn't best to have in an organization. The results, she is unwanted. Reason being, too old to nurture. Hard to get her to participate, it needs a snr managers to manage her. So it is quite hard when we have a reorg or reassignment.
So the management decided to give her the MSS. I was sad for her as she is a single mum and she still have 3 kids going to school. And she only has few years to go before her retirement. The MSS settlement cd be used for the mthly bills, I hope could last her for 6 mths at least. However, I do agree that she can't contribute much if we want the org to fly to another level. Sadfully, we associated success in organization with young talent with maximum positive energy level package.
I was thinking, I have 10 years more at least. and if the same thing happens to me, my house loan, and all other loans repayment, how can I handle it? My responsibilities to the children?
So that is my turnaround time. I suddenly up my ambition a bit. I need to try to climb the ladder to be a COO at least. (CEO too stressful) and i set 6 years to achieve that. I shd not stop at middle managementlah kan, I shd continue to try myself to a C-Level. (After retirement maybe I will continue back as a realtor muehehe.) Starting Business - i dun have the gift to be a business personlah. Investor mungkin more of me lah.
If you asked me why? Coz it is common to have "grey haired" COO to still be working at "pensioner age" due to their experience and wisdom. but it would be sad to see you stuck in middle management for years and years sampai pencen tak? pada pendapat saya lah...
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Q: I'm a mid-level manager with an engineering degree and an MBA. I'm currently working for a major telecommunications company as a sales account manager. Previously I was an operations and production manager.
My interest is in running the ins-and-outs of a business. Therefore, I'm inclined to take a career path that's indicative of a chief operating officer. Although there's no magic bullet for becoming a COO, what is the background of those who tend to make it to this level?
A: you'll probably need to do a stint in finance to acquaint yourself with how to keep Wall Street happy. After that, you might do another round in operations or get a chance to run a small subsidiary for the company. Plan on spending one to two years in each function, Gienger says, which will give you plenty of time to show what you can do.
Moreover, if you want to be considered COO material, you'll need to make some real contributions wherever you are in the company. Find ways to cut overhead costs during your time in the finance division. Or, while you're in marketing, come up with a brilliant strategy for a new product rollout. "If you're a high-flier, you'll be in the position to get noticed," Gienger says.
Don't expect to leapfrog from middle manager to COO overnight, however. Companies want at least 10 to 15 years of operations experience in a potential COO -- and a "little gray hair" doesn't hurt, Gienger says. Along the way, you may have to make some lateral moves to get the experience you're lacking. "Don't be impatient," says Jane Greenwald, a partner at executive search firm Battalia Winston in Edison, N.J. "The director and vice-president titles will come once you have a range of experience."
LADDER-CLIMBING. Consider Denise Gibson, newly appointed COO at Brightstar Corp., a services company for the wireless telecommunications industry. Back in 1982, she started her career as an administrative temp in Motorola's staffing department. Soon she was hired full-time and quickly climbed the management ladder in Motorola's human resources office. Then she was recruited for a sales position in operations. The job was several notches below her current level, but Gibson saw it as a way to learn about the company's products and services.
It turned out to be the right move. During her 17-year career at Motorola, she held various positions within the company and eventually left as a senior operations executive to join Brightstar.
Just remember that a stellar résumé doesn't guarantee admission to the executive suite. "You may be perceived as a performer, but there are probably a number of people with that same label," Gibson says. "The reality is that the funnel gets narrower as you move up."
To keep yourself in the running, get people on your side who can vouch for your performance and help you spot areas where you need improvement. They can also become your personal headhunters: Gibson landed her job as Brightstar's COO through a former colleague who recommended her for it.
source: businessweek.com
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How do I become a Chief Operating Officer
source: wisegeek.com
The path to become a chief operating officer (COO) can differ from one industry to another, and may also depend on what type of corporation you want to work for. There is no one way to go about becoming a COO, but you will typically need a business administration degree in addition to extensive work experience. After school, you will need to look for work in an industry that interests you. It is then necessary to stand out by performing your duties well and exhibiting leadership skills so you can rise to a vice president (VP) position within the corporate structure. Many people within a corporation often want to become a chief operating officer, so you will need to do what it takes to show that you have the knowledge and expertise to take responsibility for the daily business operations.
In a typical corporate structure, the chief operating officer is the c-level executive responsible for day-to-day business operations of a company. Details and minutia such as production quotas are typically within the scope of a chief operating officer's responsibilities. Vice presidents or other heads of departments often report to the COO, who in turn reports to the chief executive officer (CEO). Since many CEOs are busy with high level, big picture management, the COO often has some latitude in day-to-day business practices.
There is no educational requirement to become a chief operating officer, but many of these executives have business degrees. If your ultimate goal is to become a COO, then you may want to start off by obtaining a four-year degree in business administration. You may then go directly into the corporate world, or seek internships and other opportunities while you study for an MBA. Knowing the right people can also go a long way toward advancing a career in business, and many people who graduate from top universities end up in COO and CEO positions.
It is possible to climb the corporate ladder from virtually any position to eventually become a chief operating officer, and there are COOs who began as engineers, manager trainees and even sales representatives. Regardless of what your starting position is, you should attempt to move up through the ranks and into the management sector of your particular department. You may also have to change employers somewhere along the line to become a chief operating officer, since the competition is typically very heavy and some companies have better opportunities than others.
Next for the project : how can I afford an MBA with the big house commitment heh :)
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