I know there has been a lot of backlash about the Future Leaders program on this site... But curious if people who have been earmarked for this program are told directly? And if so, do they tell you how much potential you have (team lead vs executive)? Or is it similar to high-pots: if you have to ask, then you aren’t earmarked?
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I heard there would be new brown colored badges at work for future leaders.
I've worked directly for or with four of these future leaders. All four at one time were country managers. Two are now Business Unit MD's.
Of the four one was a complete id–t who got where he was because of his nationality (non US) and eventually got a large payout to go before he could inflict more damage. Another was a country manager during a major incident who's response was less than adequate. I believe he is still with the company in some relatively minor position.
The other two were by contrast complete gentlemen , a pleasure to work for and with and both were highly competent. These two are now BU MD's and possibly VP's sometime in the future. I would gladly work for them again all be it now it would be indirectly .
So my experience is Chevron got it correct 50%.
As a young boy years ago when I was an apprentice, I asked an old tradesman how do you get promoted? “Well” he said “there’s three ways to get on in life”.
• You can kiss the bosses A#% and s— up to them.
• You’re a good union representative / workforce influencer and the company wants you on their side.
• You are no good at your job and the company wants you off the tools before you make a really expensive mistake.
These days are a few additional sub criteria based on gender, s-xual orientation and ethnicity but the basic premise remains the same.
Chevron has leaders? You learn something new every day.
Why does the shrinking business needs future leaders? Let it all be a mud pit.
In this modern fight for the shrinking cushy management roles of a woman with a transgender woman, may the BEST man win !!!
The only Future Leader some of you are going to be, very soon, is leading several others like you out the front door of the building with your Pioneer box in hand and a pink slip in your back pocket.
CVX retired. Was a PDR for 9 years. The higher PSGs are told. Lower not. IMO designating lower PSGs as FL was a mistake. Not enough experience to really show the extent of their capabilities. Shouldn’t even be considered until PSG 25. For the higher PSGs my advice was to use the designation to get a good job placement and then forget about it. If you were not willing to move every two years you were going to get dropped anyway.
Some BUs didn’t actually put up their best nationals as a FL. Didn’t want to lose control over them.
As usual with CVX there was a good idea initially but the process warped it over time.
Your mom or dad will tell you or tell your supervisor's supervisor to tell you. You could also be a person who manages upward well (and usually can't manage your team) and a higher up who is clueless will say that you should be a FL. It helps if you are a hot female.
My B2B was a FL...One PSG ahead of me, and 20 yrs younger....did absolutely nothing but cover his a– for the whole assignment. He somehow, after 2 years, got a 2 PSG promotion to a gravy train asian assignment, and I now see he is giving career advice as a PDR rep. 30 years with CVX, and I will say this..they honestly make money in spite of themselves. Awesome benefits that I am grateful for, but such a F'd environment to work in.
Anyone have insights to the “secret” program or better lists?
Ultimately it is all just a high school clique.
You are not supposed to be told if you are a future leader. Being a future leader is not slam dunk. You can be on the list a few years and then fall off. Many a person has been told they are a future leader and fall off the list for whatever reason and walk around with a chip on their shoulder for years after because someone once told them they were special. There are also better lists than future leader. I think with those lists it’s harder to get on the list and fall off. Those are the ones that are PSG 26 and higher in their 30s.
Not sure if they’re formally informed, but if they’re smart, they know they’re anointed from the cushy assignments they get.
The FL program was dismantled some years ago due to rampant abuses. A new secret program replaced it.
First and foremost, FLs are unlikely to be amongst the pool of "experienced-hires". FLs are homegrown. One of the best indicators for early careers post-horizons, is being selected for a 3-5 day leadership seminar in San Ramon. It is not about knowledge, skills and abilities. It is about behavior. Will this individual follow orders unquestionably, never challenge the LT in a group setting, and be a fully compliant gulper of the CVX Koolaid? FLs are apprentices in the good ol'boy network. This is part of the reason we can't successfully execute an MCP to save our *ss.
I had one employee who told me he was a Hi-pot and a Future Leader. He still got a 2-
Typically you can tell who are FL by how fast they get moved around and how fast they climb. If you are the same psg as others in your age group then you are not a FL if you are a few psg higher you are on track
If you have to ask, you're not one. And there's nothing discriminatory about it. No one owes you a job at all to begin with.
When you reach level 24, you will be told if you are a FL. If you are not told, you are not. If you ask, it is considered rude and you could get some negative feedback. It is very discriminatory practice.