Ways to distinguish yourself #126 Don’t get promoted to a job that you may not enjoy

By Rajesh Setty on Sat 13 May 2006, 6:35 AM - 3 Comments

Note: I think I am spending too much time with VERY smart people (not that I am complaining) but everyone I meet has so much to share, that, really typing stuff has become a limitation for me. The credit for the idea for this post goes to Bill Wiles again.

It almost a cliche now when people say that people are promoted to their level of incompetence. A great sales person is made a sales manager and boom – he fails miserably. A technical wizard is made a project manager and boom – another failure. A star in one role within a company may be a hopeless failure in another role. So why is it hard to refuse a promotion that might push you to your level of incompetence? The world around you (your friends, family members and even colleagues sometimes) may not think that you are not making progress if there is no upward movement in your career. If so many people around you are thinking that you should move up, it may be tempting to think that – that may be the right thing to do.

It requires enormous self-discipline and courage to let go of something that the world thinks is right for you. The fact is the world does not fully know you. They don’t know that you may not enjoy in the new role. You are the only person that can really make that determination.

Now, go ahead and refuse that promotion if it does not make sense.

PS:
This can happen not only to individuals but also for companies. Some companies may grow to their level of incompetence and die. Bo Burlingham of Inc. magazine has written a fascinating book called “Small Giants: Companies that choose to be great instead of big” featuring a set of companies that have escaped this trap. I am also proud of the fact that one of the featured companmies is my friend Bill Butler’s company W.L.Butler, a highly respected construction company in the Bay Area.

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Anonymous on May 17th, 2006

I think you are trying to address two different issues here. I totally agree with “Don’t get promoted to a job that you may not enjoy” fact. I take this advise more for a ‘personal satisfaction’ factor. But I really can’t connect this advise for not to fail in the new role. I really doubt the failure in the new role is mainly about not enjoying that new role. Failure is mainly because of lack of capabilities in that role.
If you are capable, then you know how to compromise on your interest and still succeed in your career. Ofcourse, if you are capable and you also enjoy the role, then nothing like it. But just because you may not enjoy the new role doesn’t mean that you should not take that opportunity.
Sometimes HOW you do it is more important that WHAT you do?
When world expects that something is right for you, they make this opinion based on your capabilities and your past record.
And also, unless you face the challenges in the new role, you can not be sure that you will not enjoy it.
So some probablity of not enjoying the new promotion is not sufficient reason to refuse the promotion offer. Certainly its more than that!

Anonymous on May 17th, 2006

Thanks Aditya. At a global level, I am of the opinion that you should always enjoy the journey. Of course, there will be exceptions and at that time you will use your wisdom to determine the right course of action.
I have seen far too many people that should have refused a promotion as the resulting position was not right for them. Hence the post.
Thanks again.
Best,
Raj

RealityCheck on January 15th, 2009

Better… or rather “Different” advice that the other article I just read. The other article I read stated (in not so many words) to be a blatant suck up and brown noser. Don’t work too hard because you’ll look “desperate”. I have always been 1. Hard working. 2. Dependable. 3. Competent. These qualities have never gotten me ANYWHERE… Hard work, reliability, competence, mean NOTHING. The fact is you have to be a lazy, shameless, shoe licking, rat to get ANYWHERE. If you are not willing to be a soulless, suck-up HOOKER who does NOTHING but sit around and nitpick irrelevant details about your co-workers to middle management to make yourself look good, then you won’t go anywhere. Sad but true. This is also one of the main reasons that the U.S. is in such a rapid decline. The bosses “Buddies” are never, ever required to know what they are doing, have any kind of past experience, or let alone show up for work half of the time. The sorry fact is that NO boss wants a good employee. Every boss wants a Pal that they can SIT around with and talk about football or whatever hobby they’re interested in with. I have seen it my entire life and it will never, ever change.