In Brief
The Problem
High potentials are increasingly committed to their partners’ careers as well as their own, but most companies haven’t figured out how to accommodate that commitment. They invest heavily in grooming star performers for leadership roles, only to have them resign when confronted with flexibility and mobility challenges. That’s wreaking havoc on recruitment and retention.
The Source
Because “future leaders” are usually expected to advance in a certain way—often through set tours of duty around the globe—it can be difficult for members of dual-career couples to move ahead at work.
The Solution
Organizations can remove barriers to advancement by allowing people to develop in more-creative ways—through brief “job swaps,” for example, or “commuter” roles. But often a culture change is needed. Instead of stigmatizing flexibility, companies must learn to embrace it.
As the head of a large manufacturing plant at a multinational conglomerate, an executive I’ll call David had proved himself a competent, trustworthy manager. So when the presidency of one of the company’s key businesses unexpectedly became vacant, the CEO sat David down to share the good news that he had been chosen for the role. He had earned it.
