John Beeson is Founder & Principal of Beeson Consulting, a management consulting firm specializing in succession planning; executive assessment, coaching, and development; and organization design. He is also the author of the book The Unwritten Rules: The Six Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level.

John explains why The Unwritten Rules are relevant in the down economy just as much as in a growing economy. Every executive needs to position him/herself as “first off the bench” when the economy turns around. During this down economy, aspiring executives should have    “Demonstration opportunities”: jobs or assignments that allow the prospect to display the required leadership skills.

The six unwritten rules are: a. Demonstrating strategic skills b. Building a strong management team c. Managing implementation d. Exhibiting innovation and change e. Working across organizational boundaries and f. Projecting executive presence.

John believes most companies do a poor job of communicating the reasons why managers do and don’t get promoted to the executive level. To crack the unwritten code, an employee is seeking honest feedback on the necessary skills to advance.

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