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Promotion without a Notion
"One good judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels. The thing to do is supply light and not heat."
Woodrow Wilson
Emma had been in her position as a Behavioral Specialist for six months. She was working towards her licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist and had only eighteen months to go for full licensure. Emma's boss who was pleased with her work so far encouraged her to apply for a supervisory position that was open in the company due to high turnover. Emma knew that she needed management experience but was concerned this new position would not allow her to get her licensure hours completed. Emma applied but told her boss she had numerous questions before she would accept the new job. Emma waited over a month for her boss to meet with her about the new position and answer the growing list of questions she had about the position.
One night around 8 pm, Emma was watching a movie at home when the phone rang. On the other end was a representative of human resources congratulating Emma on her acceptance as a new supervisor. Emma was speechless. As a six month employee of this company and fresh out of grad school, she did not know how to respond. Should she accept on the spot? If she turned this down, would that limit her future supervisory opportunities? Should she bombard the human resource rep with questions only Emma's boss could answer?
Larry was a faithful, hardworking middle level manager who spent many years leading a dedicated staff of engineers on projects that often required working late hours and weekends. He was beginning to get disillusioned with upper management as they did not care if employees under them burned the midnight oil to complete projects. Larry's boss, sensing Larry's unhappiness, decided to create a new position within the company and announce Larry's promotion in front a large group of employees at a company function. The only problem is that Larry knew nothing about the promotion. Larry did not understand the demands of the new job or even if he wanted it. His boss just decided to promote him without his notion.
So, what can you do as an employee if you receive a promotion without a dialogue with your boss first? In a nutshell, proceed cautiously. While it may seem like a career limiting move to question or turn down a promotion, taking one just because you are flattered or fearful can be a recipe for disaster. You will need to stop, pause, breathe and begin to formulate a list of questions whose answers will help guide you to make an informed decision:
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Will this new position require different hours?
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Where will I work?
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Will there be more travel?
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How will this position be measured for success?
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Why is this position open now?
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Who will I be reporting to?
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What is the long term need for this new position?
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Will I be using my strengths most of the time?
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Will there be other opportunities to come along?
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Does this promotion fit into my long term plans for myself and/or family?
If you are an employer that offered a promotion too soon without giving your employee a chance to better understand the promotion, you will need to stop, pause, breathe and quickly get back to your employee with the following:
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A chance to meet face to face, by phone or teleconference with employee so they may ask more questions.
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Answers to all of the questions listed above
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A response to what happens if the employee turns down the position
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A better strategy and plan in the future for promoting employees
Question for You:
Are you an employer or human resource professional that is finding it tough to fill critical positions in your company and you are feeling a sense of urgency to get the positions filled? Are you an employee that has received a promotion but with the wrong approach from leadership?
Answer for You:
As an employer, you need a strategy for promoting from within. Create meaningful conversations with your talented employees throughout the year and during evaluation periods to find out what the employee wants for future growth and what the company needs. While sometimes positions open without notice, allow your key players to get all the information they need to make a decision about a promotion before you offer it formally, especially in front of a group of employees. Also have a plan for if they refuse this promotion but are eager for future promotions. If you are an employee who has been blindsided by a promotion and wonder what to do, begin creating a list of questions like those above to gather the facts before you need to make a decision. Sometimes a "no" response is best for you and the company as long as you keep open to future opportunities.
"Hasty climbers have sudden falls."
English Proverb
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