Horizontal & Unstructured

“When it comes to specific advice, the best was from a former boss, who told me, ‘Don't view your career as a linear progression.’ He advised me to take horizontal rather than vertical steps: to try out situations that are unstructured, to learn different ways of working, and to get outside of headquarters and experience different cultures. I've applied this advice many times-most notably, taking a decidedly unstructured job at IBM Japan and then joining the fledgling IBM services business. After those experiences, I had the confidence that I could manage pretty much anything.”

(Sam Palmisano, CEO of IBM, in “The Best Advice I Ever Got.” by Jon Birger, Clay Chandler, Jon Fortt, Barney Gimbel, et al. Fortune: May 12, 2008. Vol. 157, Iss. 10; pg. 70)