I took a promotion I wasn't ready for. Tell me about your experiences.
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Anonymous
| Others have told me to be patient, it's only been sox months. Any good words of wisdom? |
Anonymous
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Have a list, AT HOME, of the things you're not qualified to be doing or don't know how to do. Managing people, giving presentations, whatever. Every single day, spend at least an hour of your own time working on getting better at one of these things. Also, get a mentor.
Sure, be patient, but be taking steps every day towards getting better. |
Anonymous
| How are you not ready for a promotion you took if you were offered one in the first place? Your supervisors obviously think you are capable. |
Anonymous
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Fake it till you make it.
I work with this girl who is one of those with low self image. She doubts herself at every turn. I don't. I'm getting promoted twice, she's not. |
Anonymous
| Step down. It isn't fair to the people your working with and they surely notice. You are likely making their lives absolutely miserable. I speak from personal experience working with a boss who was far from ready to be a boss. |
Anonymous
| Why do you say you weren't ready? Do you feel like you'll grow into the job? |
Anonymous
Lots of bosses like this out there. No amount of training or experience will ever prepare some people to be the boss; they just don't have what it takes. |
Anonymous
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Fake it til you make it.
Having seen the BS that comes our of some managers mouths, looks like most are that way anyhow! Congrats on the promotion.m Also, read some books on the skills you wish to build. |
Anonymous
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Well, first look at yourself positively. See yourself achieving it.
And during your free time, educate yourself (or pay for management classes or ask the company to pay). If you feel that really doesn't seem to work, it will then be time to ask for a re-assignment. My DH is about to make a big jump up in management, and honestly he's not as ready for it as I would wish. He'll see how it goes and maybe take a company-offered class. |
Anonymous
True, but sometimes they learn. My boss is like this. Knew nothing when she started -- barely conversant with the subject matter, had never managed before. We all hated her guts. But 6 months in she has improved tremendously. She'll never be my favorite -- still inexperienced as a manager -- but at least she is reasonably competent with the subject matter now, and she does work hard, which counts for something. She'll be gone in a few years anyway. I guess that's the one good thing about political positions -- easy come, easy go. |
Anonymous
| This happened to me this year. Just got notified this week that I suck at the new position. Am taking it pretty hard but they have valid points. My advice - nip any inadequacies in the bud asap. I failed to do that. |
Anonymous
What did they say? I got a promotion and I am the youngest person at the c-level. People are talking about me and questioning me left and right and not helping me/sabotaging me. |
Anonymous
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It's not uncommon for people to grow into a / the job, so if you don't give up on yourself and make the extra effort and stretch, you may demonstrate the traits that made however promoted you think you could handle it.
Sometimes that's not the case, but sometimes it is. |
Anonymous
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pp here... for ex., my current boss (for the last 16 mos.) is a nice person and qualified professional who is an utterly clueless and arrogant person as a manager... he has no idea the monumental degree to which "he doesn't know what he doesn't know" -- which everyone else around him sees, and many are venting to his boss about.
Don't be him, as 19:32 said, you have to be self-aware and buckle down if that's what's needed (without being arrogant, aloof, etc., about it).... |
Anonymous
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Use a more open, collaborative work style. It's not a bad way to manage and helps you grow, while learning from others. |