states of corporate growth ....the ladder to the top

Was out for a drink with a couple of colleagues and we got around to talking about the "Corporate Ladder". There were some very interesting comments made. The growth of an individual in an organization goes through phases that can be equated to the 3 states of matter. Solid - Liquid - Gas !

The "Solid" state :
We all start of with a "Solid" foundation. Good college education, depth in the field we work in, good at technology, good at coding, etc. We are sure of what we are and we can actually touch and feel our strength. Once we have done this for a while, we realize that there are younger people in the workforce now who can do a much better job. In our zeal and eagerness to be better and differentiated we proceed to what I call as the "Liquid" stage of your career.

The "Liquid" state :
This is the state we call "broadening" your horizons. Technology or core expertise become taboo. You move into the realm of middle management. Outlook, Excel sheets and power points rule your life. You still remember some technology, usually a few years outdated but you are now able to talk some "business" as well. In some interviews, I have been told by candidates that they have now abstracted out pure technology :-)

The "Gaseous" state :
This is the state you reach after you have been boiled and sizzled in middle management for a few years. In this state you make statements like "Our innovations power through and help customers realize their ROIs in much shorter time frames and hence reducing TCO". Now you are completely abstracted ! You have an army of people under you who are ready to carry out your commands. You have reached utopia. :-)

Lets take the analogy of a hot air balloon : you need to loose the "solid" stuff for the balloon to raise ! So if you want to get to the top , its the GAS you need.