Individual Contributors Path
Last updated
Last updated
In the Individual Contributors Path there are 6 levels in each framework and each level has 4 steps.
To move up from one level to the next is a huge milestone in terms of knowledge application, role complexity and overall scope. Steps serve as smaller indicators of growth in ownership and initiative.
Each Level and Step for Individual Contributors is evaluated based on well-defined criteria as shown below:
This path was designed for those employees who do not want to follow a career as a manager but instead plan to develop their technical skills and use them to contribute to the goals and mission of the organization.
To move through the Individual Contributors Path, an employee needs to meet the criteria outlined in the Level & Step Chart below and score the minimum grade according to the Knowledge Accountability Index (KAI) of their position.
Progress up the Levels expands not only the technical competencies and knowledge required but also the range of teams, departments, and divisions an employee works with. For example, employees in Levels 1 and 2 usually work on their own projects in their team(s). Level 3 employees would work on department-wide tasks, while Level 4 and 5 would do cross-department projects and Level 6 experts would work on company-wide projects.
Each Level and Step for Individual Contributors are evaluated based on well-defined criteria, as we already learnt. Here is more about each criteria.
The ability to manage your own knowledge and learning is the foundation of improving your skills. This criteria examines employees’ ability to find, learn, and apply relevant knowledge, as well as use the Knowledge Accountability Index (KAI) and support the learning of others.
Assesment of the Application of the KAI and Focus for every 6 levels
This criteria focuses on how well employees manage their day-to-day tasks. It tracks how well they are able to commit to the right amount of work, prioritize their tasks, find ways to improve processes, and deal with uncertainty and change. The scope of their work and the supervision they take and give also have an impact on their progress. The Job Complexity is redifined in Responsability Assignment Matrixes.
The ability of our teams to work together is crucial for achieving our goals, and this IC category evaluates how well our employees communicate and collaborate. Being able to actively receive and deliver feedback is essential for the continued development of our teams, as well as the habit of sharing and documenting information and knowledge. Communicating clearly with a diverse audience and collaborating across teams and departments are also necessary for progressing through this IC path.
Encouraging participation and discussions and being a helpful team member is important for supporting the culture of innovation at the organization.
Even if you are not a manager, you are still expected to support your colleagues. Only those professionals who are able to make important decisions and take ownership of them, start impactful discussions across teams and departments, and are encouraging mentors will progress through this IC category.
Understanding how our company plans and makes decisions is essential for employees who want to be involved at a higher level in the organization. The Strategy Involvement path tracks how able they are to follow the strategy of the company and to promote it across teams and departments. The higher the level an employee is, the more they have an impact in setting the strategic direction of the company.
