Balancing inside and outside: preparing for tomorrow while fulfilling today's responsibilities

Many managers experience a common organizational contradiction in terms of how their attention is focused. One may be primarily internally focused (primarily attentive to people and activities within the department or organization), meaning that it is the job at hand that commands the most attention. Or one may be externally focused (primarily attentive to people and activities outside of the department or organization), meaning that it is the sources of reward and opportunity that command the most attention. Over the long run, the internally focused individual tends to develop more strongly as a manager but the externally focused individual, by virtue of greater visibility, tends to attract more career advancement opportunity. For lasting growth and advancement, the manager requires both solid experience and opportunity; the individual can be neither slave to the daily task nor absentee manager. Rather, a sensible approach to career advancement requires a healthy balance of internal and external focus.