Leaders Letter 77 - Two Up x Two Across Matrix

Dear Leaders, Frameworks and documents are the most popular leaders letters.

This week I have a matrix (simple framework) I have adopted over time and something many managers might benefit from.

It is the:

Two Up x Two Across Matrix.

Moving laterally aka across does not mean a demotion or non-promotion it actually means you are helping to shape their career and moving them towards the right long term career for your team member.

Keeping your team members happy is a huge challenge, in which in “The Great Resignation” is going to be harder for you and the company. Therefore, this matrix might be an asset to have and use before the end of the year.

What is it?

Two Up

The next two levels of promotion within the team or department. This works up until the C-suite level.

This is the most natural movement, you move up the ranks within your own department, potentially mapping out replacing yourself as the Department lead or helping the team member understand their next step may be Head of or Director of, or moving into a generalist department head role.

Two up requires deep thought, an ability to build out organisation design and map out succession plans and replacement plans. Alongside working with other leaders and potentially your HR function.

Two Across

Two across is helping your team member realise their potential, either based on their skills or based on their desire.

What is evident in most businesses is individuals want to want in different teams, different departments and grow. Many examples of this are when a Marketer moves in Product, when Product move into Operations and when Customer Support moves into Product and/or Marketing.

A Personal Anecdote:

Some of the best hires I ever made were internal hires and dare I say internal poaching that worked out particularly well.

One today is an absolute Marketing superstar and another has gone on in the creator economy and working through their passion.

Both knew the timeline, both knew the plan to move them into the role and the steps we both needed to take to ensure they were supported, coached and had a mentor to help them move.

“The Squilly Career”?

Becoming a Team or Department Lead, taking the next step to VP or SVP or joining the leadership team is not the only future for team members, although most are conditioned to believe this, in the future I truly believe specialists and leads will help reshape businesses and coach those around them to benefit their careers and those who they work alongside and work.

Lastly, remember this will take teamwork and connections between you as the team or department lead and other leaders across the business, you should also note you will want to continue the mentor or coaching relationship with the team member who might move across not just up.

The two up two across matrix will help hold important conversations, improve subculture within your team and connect with other department leads to improve the company.

Good luck and keep on developing as a people (culture) and performance (strategy) leader.

Thanks,

Danny Denhard

PS Remember my saying, always be Marketing, always be Auditing, December is the ideal time to audit your department plan or developing your management team, do get in touch for help.

Two Important Free Frameworks To Use

Leaders Letter 44 – Risk Vs Benefit Framework

Leaders Letter 38 – One Problem Two Solutions Framework

Important Company Culture Resources:

For more information on the squiggly career – watch below