Attainment of a general manager position in a Nigerian bank is not by handwork alone; other things are involved!

By Anayo M. Nwosu

Another senior promotion list for Assistant General Manager to General Managers has just been released and Mr Ogbeukwa and Mrs Olaniyi's names are missing for the fifth year in a row. 

The duo have been senior managers for close to 7 years. What could be the reasons why the management of the bank has not deemed them fit for promotion to a general management care?

As a member of the general management, I know why they would never make it to AGM level. But how could one let them know that there is already a career ceiling for them without killing their spirits?

There are many dedicated staff in Nigerian banks in the same boat as my friends.
Ever wonder why some persons you deem unfit make it to the management positions in your bank?

You would have expected a member of an executive management of a bank to be razor-sharp in banking and relationship skills, versatile and inspirational.

Actually, many of them are very good but the skills desired by promotion committee of the board are not the qualifications for the positions they wish to occupy.

There is a reason for any Management promotion or action.

It is left for the the perceptible staff to seek to know the uncommunicated reasons why his or her name keep missing on a promotion list.

This piece is written for the guidance of young ambitious bank officers aiming to make it to the top management cadre. It will also be useful to those at the middle management (AM-SM) with ambitions.

I shall attempt to reveal why many staff are stagnated or exited upon attainment of the post of a manager or senior manager.

THE CEILING CONCEPT
Every staff in any organisation has a unique personality and capabilities.

The combination of skills set, qualities and management perception determine how far up a staff can go in an organisation.

There are staff who are only good as subordinates and will never be assigned supervisory roles. They are eased out of the organisation once their mates are being made supervisors.

If they are not sacked, they will constitute problem in the organisation.

Also, there are supervisors who might be popular with the junior colleagues but are programmed not to progress beyond middle management level no matter how hard they work.

They are adjudged to have reached their career ceiling.

Popularity among colleagues is never a qualification to make it to the top. Rather, managers notorious for meanness make it faster to the top.

The mean managers are viewed by executive management as protective of owners'interests and should be made permanent slave masters and enforcers.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT PROMOTION
Performance is not enough a criterion for promotion to the senior management cadre.
There are a lot of other qualities the owners of the business look out for.

1. CAN WE TRUST HIM/HER?
A performing staff with questionable alliances are never brought near where a highly confidential and sensitive issues of the bank are discussed.

The staff may sell out and the bank is dammed.

The bank's management over the years watch the middle management staff and take notes on non-performance related issues.

The readiness of the staff to take up assigned tasks, to work longer hours, sacrifice leave and other personal comfort for the organisation don't pass unnoticed.

2. USEFUL ASSET PERCEPTION
Smart middle management staff should learn presentation and internal customer relationship skills.

The way you present issues at meetings like credit committee, budget and profitability reviews and bank's official functions matters a lot.

The way and manner you manage your business units, resolve conflicts and interpret management's policies in such a way that you are always seen to be on the side of the management is key and indicative of how far you can go.

Owners of the business need confident, seemingly loyal and courteous people to own and drive management policy objectives.

3. FIRMNESS
Management elevates those that they believe can whip people into line even at the cost of being deemed wicked.

A AGM-GM candidate would've to demonstrate ability to recommend people considered undesirables for sack.

He/she should be ready to do management's dirty jobs or accept and deal with staff designated for humiliation out of the system and those on the management's watch list.

Not all enforcers make it to the top management as many of them are consumed by their own 'nemesis.

4. CONSANGUINITY
Many ordinary staff who are close relatives or townsmen of the promoters of the banks are given an expedited promotion to the executive management. This, to the owners, is preservative.

Even Jesus' inner caucus was peopled by his cousins and kinsmen.

5. INGENUITY
There are staff who due to their talent, specialisation, mastery of their roles and performance make the owners of the bank invite them to the management cadre.

They may not become CEOs because the owners may be afraid to hand over their banks to a smart stranger.

6. EYE SERVICE
There are examples of ordinary staff that made it to the board of companies through eye service. The banks are not left behind.

These guys usually meet minimum requirements for their elevation but they know how to garnish it with eye-service.

Smart informants to the owners at manager/senior manager levels have a good chance of making it to executive management.
This class of candidates are used to checkmate the activities of other executive members of the banks.

7. PERFORMANCE EXTRACTORS
Owners of a bank look out for hard man-managers who know how to extract performance from fellow staff; people who can squeeze out results or eggs from a confirmed cocks.

They may not by themselves do much but they know how to push people to achieve excellent performance through well measured application of carrot and stick methods.
Some use pure threat and divide and rule tactics to achieve what they want from their subordinate staff.

I laugh when I hear junior colleagues ask "which business did this oga bring to warrant his promotion? We are the ones working and he is taking the glory." That's pure ignorance.

8. SEXUAL GRATIFICATION
Some smart seniors (of both sexes) could use their endowments effectively to their advantage. All is fair in a pyramidal game as only a few can make it to the top at a time.

Giving it to the key man (in a mostly owner/managed bank) or/and to discretely give it to two or more influential members of the promotion committee would be enough to put the desperate candidate in a pole position on elevation list. But this is usually not the norm at this level.

The executive management are always on the look out for promotion, senior managers who could easily transform to become :

1. Someone who would not criticise any management policy before other ranks even though the policy is against your personal conviction.
It is called Collective Responsibility.

2. A person who shall live the brand of the bank and should be mindful of his/her lifestyle in order not to put the bank to disrepute.

3. Somebody who wouldn't divulge management secrets to the juniors or to outside party once made a member of the inner chamber.

Bearing in mind what it takes to make it to the top, I had started my preparations when I was an assistant manager, long before my day arrived.

When you have applied the above recommended panaceas and you still observe that the executive management is planning to turn you to an expectant Abraham in his long wait to bear a child, please quit.

Life is not all about banking.

After all, many of us senior bankers still prostrate for Oba Otudeko and Uche Ogah of Honeywell Industries Group and Masters Energy Group respectively.

The duo had to leave banking to set up big conglomerates.

They have without recriminations, helped or employed some of their former bank bosses facilitated their exit from banking.