Dave was one of those developers everyone relied on. If there were a thorny technical problem, he’d untangle it. But recently, he seemed frustrated. One day, he finally said, “I feel stuck. Everyone says the next step is managing people, but I don’t want to do that.
It’s a common story. Career ladders often mean climbing into management. For some, that’s great. For others—like Dave—it feels like a dead end. Traditional ladders are rigid, assuming success only looks one way. But what about those who thrive on solving problems and driving innovation without managing people? Forcing them into management risks losing their passion—or worse, losing them altogether.
One of the problems lies in the name. Calling them “ladders” or even “frameworks” reinforces a rigid, one-directional mindset. A better name—and a better design—is a lattice. A lattice lets people grow in different directions—up, sideways, or diagonally. For Dave, the solution wasn’t management but becoming a technical architect. In this role, he tackled complex challenges, mentored others, and grew into new responsibilities with defined success criteria. His career stretched and evolved, and his compensation grew to reflect his expanded impact on the company.
Flexible career lattices like this benefit everyone. They retain talent, strengthen teams with diverse roles, and empower employees to grow in ways that fit their passions. Rebranding your career structure is more than semantics; it’s about resetting expectations and signalling that success can take many forms. It starts with recognising expertise, creating multiple tracks—technical, managerial, and hybrid—and clearly communicating options. As your company’s and employees’ needs evolve, this lattice can adapt and grow with them.
Dave’s new role energised him and made him an even greater asset. The company thrived, too, proving that success isn’t about climbing higher but growing in the right way. What about your team? Does your “ladder” fit their ambitions, or is it time to rethink and rebrand it? At Globawise, we help companies redesign their career frameworks into dynamic, tailored solutions that work. If it’s time for a change, let’s talk.