Seeking A Promotion? Don’t Do This

Attitude can be everything when it comes to work, especially if we are seeking a promotion. How we conduct ourselves both on a day-to-day basis, as well as when we are tasked with new challenges, bears more weight than sometimes we realize.

A crazy example of this recently happened to a friend of mine. For the sake of the story and protecting the innocent, I’m going to call him Joe.  Hi Joe!

Joe manages a team of hard-working, educated professionals who all contribute to the success of multi-million dollar projects. Everyone works on multiple projects at once, and sometimes a person may be moved to a different project based on where the help is needed at that moment.

This sounds pretty typical of a workplace environment, doesn’t it?

Even Joe, at his senior level, jumps from project to project, staying late and coming in early. It’s the nature of the industry.

Imagine Joe’s surprise when a member of his team came to him, expressing frustration because he had been asked to work on a new project, one that he didn’t particularly like.

He told Joe point-blank, “I’m not going to give it 100%.”

Wow.

“I’m not going to put in my best effort because I don’t like this project.”  Or, what the employee was really saying, “I’m going to have a toddler’s temper tantrum. Nyaah, nyaah, nyaah.”

There is so much wrong here I almost don’t know where to begin. Let’s look at possible explanations for this employee’s approach to handling this work situation:

• It’s reverse psychology of some sort, telling his boss he’s not going to do a good job and hoping that when the he does deliver a good product, his boss thinks more highly of him.
• Maybe he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s only good at one type of work, and the new project doesn’t play to his strengths?
• He won too many “Participation” trophies and is now convinced he knows what’s best for him.
• He’s never heard the word “No”.
• Perhaps he’s simply lazy.
• Could it be that he’s really that stupid to tell his boss he’s not going to do his best?

This is a highly educated person who’s been employed long enough to figure out how business works; you’d think he would have enough common sense to know better.

I’ve managed dozens, if not hundreds, of people over the course of my career, and while I know not everyone was pleased with all of their assignments I’ve never had anyone tell me they would not give it their best shot.

This employee was clearly not thinking when he uttered those fateful words. 

While not an offense that will cost him his job, it is definitely going to be remembered.

Here’s what I anticipate will happen:

• First, this conversation will be shared by his boss with other leaders of the firm
• As a result, when new project opportunities come up, this employee will not be the first person considered
• When reviewing candidates for promotion, this employee will not be advancing. With an attitude like that, why should he be trusted to handle more responsibility for the company?

The lessons here are many. Most important: Think about your long-term strategy and career growth before complaining to your boss about a short-term project.

Giving 100% to a short-term project will add to your resume and has the potential to make both you and your boss look like super stars. The long-term implications show you are a team player who can deliver on any number of projects vs. being a whiner who is self-centered, lazy, and refuses to work except on select projects.

It’s your choice; it’s your career.  But don’t complain when you don’t get a promotion.