I have never come across an individual who did not want to be promoted other than the late Sunil Davidson.
Budget Officers were always concerned that his job was beyond his personal grade and wanted him promoted. However, Sunil would approach me as Budget Chief and ask that his post be not upgraded. Sunil preferred to operate in low-key mode and not disturb his special life-style, climbing mountains at that time.
Jack and Susy Welch, in Business Week point out that getting promoted is a double-edge sword. Although folks are happy on the outside they may be feeling less happy on the inside. Be rest assured that if you are promoted to a job that requires you to continue performing in your individual skill, you really have got the best promotion on planet earth, as you are still a master of your profession. However, being promoted as a manager or in some other leadership role can be a whole different matter.
Knowing the nuts and bolts of your job, finance, IT or program specialty is the easy task, either you know it and if you fake it you will get caught soon. However, as a manager, here you got to be inquisitive to learn from staff the things you do not know, trust people, depend on others to get work done and be passionate about what your staff think in order for the department (division) or group to meet its challenges. As Ellen Collins said in the April 2007 of UNICEF Staff News, her article titled "Carrying Forward the UNICEF Culture" shows how staff have contributed to the organization over time and grown in the process by also learning from other staff and more senior staff even pitching in (flying low) when more junior staff needed help.
So if you are thinking of taking the leap to promote yourself to a managerial role, be prepared to be a voracious learner. Staff with experience can teach even would-be leaders. However, if a budding leader thinks that existing staff are deadwood he or she will not be a learner and neither a leader.
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