The corporate ladder – don’t rush to start climbing

Wanting to climb the corporate ladder is a perfectly natural feeling feeling for most of us. After all, it is a clear demonstration of progress – not just to ourselves, but also to our peers. Few graduates would deny that they have such aspirations.

Corporate organisations are like a jungle. There is a clear hierarchy, with a well-developed food chain and an inherent superiority at the top of the trees. The view from the top is no doubt spectacular and far-reaching but it is a long way from the jungle floor where most of the activity is.

The further up the tree one climbs, the more distant becomes the view of the undergrowth and the life which thrives in it. Learning about how a business operates involves a great deal of studying the undergrowth – spending time there, understanding how everything fits together and what makes it work.

Royal baby frenzy confirms the benefits of preparation

When Clarence House Press Office announced that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby, the world’s media machine rushed into action, with some British newspapers publishing multi-page “Royal Baby Special” sections, covering the story from every possible angle.

[Photo courtesy of EPA/ Andy Rain, The Daily Telegraph]

The BBC Diplomatic and royal correspondent quickly published a piece looking at the changes to accession traditions; the Wikipedia entry for Kate Middleton was updated to reflect the announcement; and betting shop William Hill started offering odds on a wide range of factors including not just name and date, but also birth weight, hair colour, and many others.

The speed with which so much has been published is impressive – but it owes far more to good preparation than an ability to write quickly. Following the wedding of Catherine and William in April 2011, it was only a matter of time before a pregnancy was announced and a full range of stories could therefore be prepared in anticipation of the announcement.