The career lattice is not a new concept. It became popular a few years ago as businesses began to look at ways to retain top talent and give employees an opportunity to grow in a creative and beneficial way.



However, it's not just a way for companies to retain top talent, it's also an effective way for employees to break into higher levels of leadership. I'm talking regional, divisional, or even C-Suite roles. 

I recently read an article by Jessica Zwaan where she described her end goal of moving out of HR and into a COO (Chief Operating Officer) position. Within that article, she describes her very deliberate actions in education and career choices to pick up the necessary experiences that would break her into the C-Suite. It's a fascinating read and though I've given the synopsis here, it's worth reading in full detail. Check it out here.

What is a Career Lattice?

According to Lattice.com a Career Lattice is, "a career progression pathway that allows for vertical, horizontal, and diagonal movement. In layperson’s terms, that means employees don’t have to stay in their departments to grow."

This means that as you move from one position to another think about what skills you're looking to acquire or grow and how these skills will position you for the next opportunity. This requires some forethought and planning since you'll want to know what you're aiming for in order to determine if an opportunity is valuable to your pursuit. 

Horizontal, Vertical, Diagonal, and Downward Moves

The Career Lattice Method involves four different types of moves - horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and the one most people avoid - downward.

Horizontal moves are career changes where you move to a similar role or job level but in a different department, or at a different company. Vertical moves are changes where you move to a position with increased responsibility within your same department or team. For example, moving from an individual contributor to a leadership position on the same team, or within the same department. Upward diagonal moves occur when you make a horizontal change (different department/company) AND an upward change (increased responsibility). Downward moves happen anytime you take a step back in responsibilities in order to gain, or reinforce other skills. Most often I hear this when people say they are willing to "take a step back" in order to pivot and advance in a different area.

Evaluating What Shifts to Make In Your Career

When making a shift it's important to assess the competencies you already demonstrate well, and which competencies you are looking to bolster or learn.

Competency-based assessments are prevalent among many larger corporations because it provides a structure for hiring managers to evaluate candidates based on demonstrated ability rather than relying solely on years of experience in a role/industry. Quick tip, competency-based assessments are also used as a guide for pay planning when employees are promoted.

As a general rule of thumb, if you need to learn 40 - 50% of the skills needed for the next role it may be easier to make those changes within your current company assuming you have a supportive leader and team structure. This could mean either a horizontal or downward diagonal shift in your position.

For moves where you possess the majority of the competencies needed for success and you need to learn 20% or less of the competencies or skills needed for the new role a vertical or upward diagonal move could be in order. This includes changes within your current company or to a new company/ industry altogether. 

When Making a Change Lean On Your Network / Support System

Funny enough this is actually how I made the transition from financial advising into recruiting 6 plus years ago. I was sitting at a luncheon for women in Financial Services (FWSF) and I happened to be next to a woman who transitioned from a CFO role into a COO role. My fellow attendee explained how she loved her boss and the company she worked for but she was feeling stagnant in her role at the time. Instead of looking outside her company, she had a conversation with her CEO and he created a pathway for her to make a (downward diagonal) move. By doing so, she could advance into the COO role in the future. A short time later she was promoted to the COO role when they both felt she'd gained the skills needed for success.

After hearing her story, I began to think of ways I could make my own transition from one functional area of the business to another. I began to speak with colleagues (who I trusted) to give me sound advice, and I networked internally for a leader who would see what I could bring to the table. It only took a few months to find the right leader. Then it took a few more months to go through a rigorous interview process complete with a gamut of tasks and presentations before the team felt I had what it took to be successful in the role.

During that time I had my network and a supportive group of people who were willing to advise me, train me, and invest in me. Their support ensured that when I made the switch from one functional area of the business to another I would be extremely successful in the role.



That's what you need from your network and your support system. You need thought partners, cheerleaders, mentors, and others who you can learn from along the way. Take a look at your network and your support system. Perhaps you have a great cheerleader in your corner but no mentor who can show you the ropes. I'd encourage you to seek out people you want to learn from and ask them questions about their journey. What I've found is that most people are willing to lend a helping hand, or at the very least give you pointers so you don't fall into a ditch! 

Final Thoughts

A career lattice can be a great strategy to break into a new industry or a new level of leadership. Think about where you want to be in your career and then break down the competencies needed to be successful in that role. From there create a plan to pick up the skills you need and remember to lean on your network and support system to ensure success.

If this resonated with you like it and share it with a friend! Thanks for reading!