How do I get promoted and other random employee thoughts
Once upon a time we were all taught that if you worked hard, performed well at your job that you would get rewarded with either a raise, promotions, even a thing called recognition. The end.
Yes, the end indeed. What has happened in our work places is that the world changed and it was changed by the laws that govern our society. In today’s workplace, if you make waves you get the attention, that old adage, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But it used to be, we had managers who had been taught management. We had managers who when that squeak happened, looked into problem or situation and found a remedy. And if what they found was a squeaky wheel that was lazy or unqualified or had a bad attitude, they were set in their place and monitored.
In today’s PC (politically correct) world, if you make enough waves HR gets involved (and they used to be highly qualified and trained in personalities and how to handle people) and when HR gets involved these days, look out.
We have great employees who work hard, stay under the radar and do their jobs. We have wonderful employees who are loyal and dedicated. Who come to work every day, even when they might be a little under the weather because that is what is expected.
But do these people get rewarded? Seldom, if you ask them. Most times it is the rabble rousers, the inept, the unqualified, the trouble makers and complainers who get noticed and promoted. And if you are like many other employees you have seen them get raises and accolades simply because the untrained manager finds it easier to do that than it is to deal with them if they don’t.
The self-evaluations that so many companies use are useless because, ask their employees, if you rate yourself high, the boss downgrades your eval because if you got those high marks, you would deserve a raise and heaven forbid too many people do great jobs and would deserve a raise.
So what does it take in today’s world to get promoted? Receive a raise? Be given well deserved accolades? Because the world might end if you gave some accolades which they deserved and not to others (even though they didn’t deserve them) because it might hurt their feelings or they might have to see the company psychologist from the trauma of not getting accolades.
It seems it is back to only a couple things that will get you promoted, a raise or given accolades… one, documented success at your job. Two, know the right people. Three, keep incredibly accurate records that might include audio snippets of how good you are and who tells you how good you are your job so you can take that into the boss on the next evaluation to prove you have been that person all year long.
Maybe, the most important part of your job is not getting or receiving. Maybe the best part of your job is knowing.
Knowing that you have done your best, knowing that you are incredibly good at your job, knowing that you are a success right where you are and rewarding yourself every week, month and year just like you are your own boss.
And believe me when I say, your happiness and success depend only upon you. You make those decisions every day of every year.
I am Steve Sapato and I teach “Learn to Win” life success course that change people lives and lead to wonderful self-actualization and self-promotions leading to more success and happiness.
steve@stevesapato.com
