When You Don’t Get the Promotion

You’ve been preparing for this moment. You have worked hard for a long time to prove yourself worthy, giving it your all. Then, one day the call finally comes, but it wasn’t the one you were expecting. The promotion was given to someone else. You feel disappointed, confused, even angry! This was the job you had spent years preparing for, and now it’s gone.

So now what? Let’s start with what NOT to do. (more…)

Everyone needs praise and encouragement, some more than others. Yet, occasionally leaders withhold praise from their team members because they’re afraid of the impact their encouraging words will have! (more…)

People get promoted. They leave for another job at another company. They make a lateral move for another job at the same company. They retire. And yet, when it’s inevitably time to fill a vacant or newly-created position, many leaders have no idea who they’re going to pick. (more…)

Each new promotion we achieve in our careers presents new opportunities to grow and impact others. It also presents new levels of temptation.

What are the temptations that grow with promotions?

• Taking long lunches or not eating in the common employee break room areas anymore
• Routinely arriving to work a few minutes late or cutting out a few minutes early
• Running personal errands on company time or having a direct report do personal work
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• Taking credit for the team’s performance
• Changing bonus structures with your employees to save money
• Allowing special preferential treatment for favored employees (more…)

Over the years I’ve worked with hundreds of companies both large and small. One of the most common challenges I’ve encountered in nearly every organization is working with new and untrained managers on people issues. I’ve learned that many managers lack the skill set to differentiate between managing a system and leading their people.

This is very common with new managers in leadership positions. Many new management-level individuals secure their positions by being the best producers. Producers have one of the most important elements needed to lead: competence. Being competent in one’s job is a must for leaders because it earns them credibility.

However, when producers are given a promotion, they often fail to realize they must lead their people within the system they manage. Leading and managing are two totally different skill sets.

As titled leaders, producers must now accept the fact that they should finish last. (more…)