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(Free Chapter from New E-book "No Sucking-UP!")
Many times job promotions turn out to be
"demotions." There are 24 critical questions you
should ask before seeking or accepting a job
promotion. If the new job can't satisfy these
criteria turn it down cold!
Sometimes a promotion might actually wind-up being
the worst thing that could happen to you! Really,
it's true. A good friend of mine won a promotion he
had been planning and hoping for over a long period
of time. He was ecstatic.
The
first year on the new job he lost more than $20k of
income moving from an hourly wage to salary. He
worked even more overtime, was stressed-out, (which
carried over to his family life,) and resulted in a
whole host of other troubles.
It
didn't take him long to decide that the "promotion"
brought with it a new title and a lot of headaches
he had never anticipated.
You
really need to ask yourself if the promotion you
seek will somehow improve the quality of your life
and those you care about enough to justify accepting
it. There needs to be some harmony between your work
life, and your home or private life, and what you
expect or desire from each. If a promotion costs you
too much of what you care about most, run from it,
or re-create and redefine it in a way that works for
you.
Critical Questions to
Ask Before Seeking or Accepting a Promotion Are:
1.
What do I value most and will the promotion give me
more of that?
2.
Will I be happier?
3.
Will my relationships suffer or be improved (family,
co-workers, and/or friends, etc.?)
4.
Will I be more secure in my job?
5.
Will I earn more or less money? (Don't forget to
consider the differences between hourly wages and
base salary pay.)
6.
Will I have to work much more than I want to?
7.
Will I retain at least the same level of benefits I
currently enjoy?
8.
Will there be opportunities to advance further?
9.
Is this position temporary or enduring?
10.
Is this position respected and needed long-term?
11.
Who will replace me, and are they competent?
12.
Whom will I be replacing, where are they going, and
why?
13.
Will this promotion actually help me and the company
in the long-run?
14.
Am I exceeding my level of competence by taking this
job? If so, what will I need to do to become
competent to fulfill this new role?
15.
What is the "political climate" like surrounding
this new position?
16.
Who will be my new boss and what is he or she like?
17.
Is there a merger looming, or likely, and how will
this affect me?
18.
Will I have to re-locate, and am I open to that?
19.
Who will I now be supervising or be accountable for,
and what are they like?
20.
What is the history of this position? If this
position is constantly being "re-filled," why?
21.
Will the level of accountability I have match the
rewards I receive?
22.
Who will decide whether or not I get the job, and
how is my relationship with them?
23.
Can I leave the job without being demoted or
punished in some way if it turns out not to be a
good fit?
24.
What will be left undone when I leave my current
position, who will complete it, and how involved
will I need to be in that process?
Maybe that seems like a long list of questions but I
hope you know the answers to each of them before you
push hard for a promotion. You really do need to
know if the new job is better than what you have
now. Finding the answers to some of theses questions
can be a bit of a tricky process, but as long as you
proceed cautiously, it will be well worth your time.
Whether you like Dick Cheney or George Bush, or
agree with them politically, you have to sort of
admire the way Dick Cheney has said a resounding
"No" to seeking the office of President of the
United States. Instead of toying with the idea of
becoming President, Vice President Cheney has
repeatedly said "I serve at the pleasure of the
President" and "I do not desire, nor will I accept,
your nomination for President." Could he have been
any clearer on the subject? It seems fair to say
that VP Cheney has answered the questions above in
his own way. Perhaps, like many of us, he is glad
someone else is doing that job.
Being President of the United States isn't for most
of us. Half the people you govern don't agree with
you most of the time, and the other half only agrees
with you some of the time. High-level positions in
most companies work much the same way. You have to
grow a pretty "thick skin" to thrive and be
effective in such environments.
Very recently, two friends of mine working at
different companies in two different states both
decided they were tired of their jobs and quit. Both
men were very impressive and highly regarded in
their respective occupations. After years of holding
the highest and second highest positions in their
companies, both of them declared, in effect, "I've
had enough of this" and left long-standing careers.
What would drive people to this end? I'll summarize
their answers to give you a sense of why people
burn-out and feel as though they must move on even
when they have been promoted to the highest levels.
The Following Elements
Contributed to the Eventual Burn-Out of Both Men:
*
They were working at least 60 and usually 80+ hours
per week. They both felt like if they worked any
less they would fail to meet the responsibilities of
their positions. Sadly, even with the extra hours
worked, they never felt like they were even close to
being caught-up.
*
They were good delegators, but simply had more work
than they could possibly do. Their key staff members
were also overwhelmed, so they could not off-load
any more work onto them. There simply was no relief
for them.
*
They received extreme pressure from corporate execs
to make their companies more and more profitable in
order to please shareholders. In truth, there is
only so much that can be done, and only so many
hours in a day in which to do those things.
Unfortunately, many corporate executives do not
agree with this analysis.
*
They carried the "weight of the world" on their
shoulders, and found it hard to think of anything
but their jobs. Even when they were home (on
occasion,) with their families they found it almost
impossible to think of anything other than their
duties at work.
*
They had unreasonable expectations for themselves
and equally unreasonable expectations placed on them
by corporate leadership. They were, in fact,
destined to fall short even with all of their
talents and passion for the business, and after all
they could do.
Both gentlemen in this example are very good men who
have incredible work ethics and solid characters.
They both deserve medals for helping their companies
evolve and keep thousands of workers employed. They
both did the jobs they were hired to do with passion
and integrity.
The
purpose, again, behind telling you about these good
men is that corporations are increasingly expecting
people to give-over their entire lives for the
benefit of the company. In search of the almighty
dollar, many corporate execs are very uninterested
in the fact that people are being pushed far beyond
reasonable expectations. Every corporate exec and
perhaps every shareholder knows that even high-level
managers are completely replaceable.
It
is almost as though it has become understood that
leaders and managers on every level are like race
cars. You run them hard for a while, replace only
the parts, fuels, and lubricants that you absolutely
must, and when they have lost their zip you get a
new one.
If
you are interested in high-level positions with
great responsibility you should know this "use 'em
and lose 'em" practice seems to have become the
norm. In my travels I haven't seen any signs of this
changing in the near future.
If
all you learn from this entire manual is that you
don't want a promotion after all, then your money
and time have been wisely spent. Far too many people
set their sights on the goal of being promoted
before they investigate what that really means. It
is generally harder to go back to the job you had
before you were promoted once you're in your new
position. Consider all the many ramifications of
your decision before putting a lot of effort into
being promoted.
Some promotions even come with implied and, (more or
less mandatory) future promotions. If you know this
is the case, you need to really consider how
desirable the second or third position in sequence
would be, as you might be obligated to accept it. If
it is completely undesirable, you may want to
reconsider the path you have chosen.
It's very common for assistant managers to become
managers and managers to become senior management or
even presidents. If you can see the direct route to
a place or position you don't want to occupy, a
course-correction may be warranted. You'll either
need to set things up in a way that won't take you
to the undesirable position, or choose a different
career path. There truly may be no going back.
This scenario is quite common: you, as assistant
manager, are the natural choice to replace the next
higher level boss. The management team is probably
grooming you for this position, and will be
disappointed if you won't accept it when offered. In
addition, you will be the best qualified person for
the job.
Unless you can accept the terms of a promotion
fully, you might be better off declining it cold. In
the end, getting a promotion that gives you more
money and a great title, but makes you miserable
isn't worth it.
Summary Points
1.
Some promotions cost you so much of what you value
that they are actually DEMOTIONS.
2.
You should always ask the "24 Critical Questions"
before accepting a promotion.
3.
Hi-level positions are extremely demanding and
require "thick skin" emotionally and politically to
endure, let alone thrive in.
4.
Professional burn-out is a risk associated with
advanced positions of responsibility.
5.
Many corporations treat senior managers as
expendable commodities and replace them frequently.
6.
Everyone is completely replaceable in every company
regardless of rank.
7.
Just learning why you don't want a promotion is a
worthy undertaking.
8.
Many positions practically require their occupants
to accept higher positions. If a promotion
eventually leads to a position you don't want, you
may need to choose a different career path as there
may be no going back.
9.
Getting a promotion that gives you more money and a
great title, but makes you miserable isn't worth it.
I
hope this chapter helped you consider what a
promotion might really mean to you. It is always
good to go in with your eyes wide open.
All
the Best,
Bill
Bill Hanover is author of "No Sucking-Up! How to Get
Promoted Without Sucking-Up." He has been a
management consultant for the last 10 years and
holds and M.S. in psychology. To learn more about
Bill or his new e-book "No Sucking-Up!" you may
visit
www.nosuckingup.com. You may also visit Bill's
Lean Manufacturing consulting website at
www.tpslean.com.
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