By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
One thing I’ve learned from the people I’ve worked with, starting with my experience as an executive recruiter and now coaching people to successful roles and careers, is that managers often play well to their employees’ egos, giving them a false sense of security and expectations.
“I saw you in the fast lane.”
“I think you’re the best person for me.”
“I’ll take care of you.”
There are many different ways managers and leaders can give people the false illusion that they are important to the organization and that they have a long career. So they may be surprised to find that their job security is a little more complicated than their managers thought and told them.
A few years ago, I worked with a guy who was constantly told that his job was great, that his future was secure, and that everyone valued him. Suffice to say, when the deck was shuffled and he was assigned a new role, he was shocked to find that he had been sent to Siberian Enterprise, an organization whose career was already over upon arrival. All those kind words, all those superlatives, mean nothing.
Here are five mistakes I see a lot of people make:
No one above your line manager knows what you do and how good you are. We can joke about the old saying: “If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound?” Of course it makes a sound, but no one knows it. The same goes for your job. No matter how good or meaningful it is, you are invisible to the real decision makers.
You let your internal and external networks idle. The farmland needs tending, and so does your network. Networking doesn’t just exist between former colleagues and friends. They live with the people you have had a positive impact within the company, your mentors, your former managers, and the people you had lunch with.
You act like this is owed to you. In all sports, players with big contracts can be sidelined or cut if their performance doesn’t match up to the contract they received. Many people live off their past successes and expect to be rewarded and promoted as a result. Unfortunately, many of these successes and impacts occurred years ago. No one cares what you did during the Obama presidency. Your company owes you nothing. They pay you for your services fairly and equitably. No promises are made other than simply “We hire you to do this job and will pay you a salary.”
You left your lane. It may feel good to be the “helper” who everyone turns to for advice on how to do something or how to get something done. Yet, every interruption you allow, every time you save someone by providing them with an answer when they can’t figure it out themselves, distracts you from the job you were hired to do. I know I made this mistake because I allowed both inexperienced and experienced people to ask me what to do with advice that took me away from what I was actually hired to do. It’s one thing to agree to do it occasionally. It’s one thing to have a sticky note on your forehead that says “Ask me if you have any questions.” I became that person!
You’ve become so unlikeable. When you take it for granted, you don’t speak up. We encourage you to “go with the flow” or “be a team player” rather than “rock the boat.” I would never recommend losing your temper at work, but it’s important to practice saying “no” regularly. Because everyone else is meek and submissive, the word “no” has greater power behind it. Choose your battles, but don’t be afraid to speak up.
Conversely, acting like the sun rises and sets around you, no matter where you are in the organization, can also lead to career suicide. Eventually, a new Sheriff rides into town, someone listens to them, and your enemies team up to get rid of you. Working with others while maintaining professional ethics is an art that can set people apart.
You are the chairman of the board of your own life. You have a board of directors and you have obligations to the board of directors (your husband, wife, partner, children) who are also shareholders. Sometimes you need one or more outside consultants to help you overcome different obstacles in the road that you don’t see because like everyone, you have blind spots.
Often, by the time a problem arises it’s too late to get the advisor/mentor/coach involved. After all, you missed signals along the way that caused the problem to fester and explode. Maintaining ongoing relationships with people who can fill the role is important throughout your career. Make time for regular check-ins. Whether you’re a junior employee or a senior leader, the best time to start a relationship with this person is five years ago. The second best time is today.
You don’t have to solve the problem yourself. After all, every great athlete has a coach who helps them succeed. Every great artist has a team around them to help them advance their career. Luck and talent may have played a role. But there are a lot of talented people who never get to where they want to be. Don’t hesitate. Grow a team around you to support you long-term.
Ⓒ Big Game Hunters, Asheville, NC 2020, 2022
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