In his book,” What Got You Here Won’t Get You There“, Marshall Goldsmith gave an example of someone who got the technical role and prestige. It started as a coaching assignment for Goldsmith who was asked to work with the company’s technical guru and get him to play better with others and spread his knowledge. But after five minutes with him, Goldsmith recognized that the software wizard was basically antisocial and only wanted to be left alone in a room and computer and high-end audio system. He was very valuable to the company. It was in everyone’s best interest to leave him to his work and continue to reward him well for it.

Most of us aren’t in such a protected position. We’re all vulnerable to layoffs and competition and workplace politics. If you don’t want to play the corporate game, you should find a technical company to work for that offers a technical career path. Otherwise the development tips in this blog should help you crack the code on career advancement. 

Next post, we’ll talk about some assessments that can help you sort out your career preferences and skills.