I got a promotion, but I hate my boss and don't know what to do

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

 

Recently I coached someone who was promoted from an Administrative Assistant to a Vice President and faced great challenges in their transition.  The relationship with their boss exploded and the boss reached out to me.  Following is some of the coaching correspondence I utilized to assist the individual.  I hope this helps you:     

Consider for one minute, that maybe the person who is getting in your way is you. 

How can that be, you are thinking, right?  No way possible.  Its your boss, it’s the way he treats you, it’s the way he does...etc. 

Forget about the anger and the rage.   Maybe you are still thinking, acting, talking and living in your old world, back to when you were an  Administrative Assistant.  

You may have had a title and compensation change, but YOU haven’t changed yet. 

Maybe it’s how and what you think what you say and until that changes, NOTHING ELSE WILL CHANGE.  Shift your paradigm.    Could  the only person holding you back be  you?   Try that concept on. 

It is so much easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility.   

Managing up versus “fetching” 

You are accustomed to fetching coffee, fetching personal items, and fetching everything someone wants and needs in their professional life.  Magically one day you are promoted. 

In this new role your job isn’t to fetch, yet that's your mentality.  You're still thinking like an Admin.  More importantly you aren't even aware that your mind set is different than your peers.

What you do know is that you are not treated the way you want to be by your boss.  You look around and cannot figure out why you are not accorded the respect you think you deserve, right?  Could it be that you have not yet earned that respect?  Just consider it for a moment.  Consider that maybe you have not earned their respect.  

Yes, you got the promotion.  But what are you doing differently?  Are you thinking differently?  Are you acting differently?  Are you responding differently?  You do have a different title.   

Think about it this way.  You have a child.  One day that child grows up and says to you, “I’m 18-years-old, start treating me like an adult.”   Yet, they keep acting like a child.  Do you start treating them like an adult when they are childlike in their behavior?  In order for their behavior to change, doesn’t their thought process have to change first? 

Let’s look at the difference between administrative and executive responsibilities: 

 

1. Administrative person
1. Task oriented
2. Does what they are told
3. Anticipates their bosses needs
4. Supports their boss
5. Manages their bosses calendar 
6. Is a gatekeeper
7. Red flags people and crisis
8. Keeps them abreast of the rumor mill
9. Fetches coffee

2. Executive
1. Evaluates, learns, and understands the market, the industry, and the players.
2. Evaluates, learns and understands the people within the company.
3. Is an asset to his boss.
4. Takes initiative.
5. Thinks ahead of their boss…anticipates what they are going to need.
6. Identifies problems
1. evaluates different solutions, determines the most cost    effective, timely manner in which to solve the problem.
2. Considers the impact on others, if others need to be                     included.
3. Keep boss apprised of problems
4. Solves the problem

7. Learns how his boss thinks, learns, understands and processes information.   
8. Helps his boss achieve his goals and objectives
9. Learns what his boss needs from him in order for him to be a star employee.
10. Is an asset to the company in helping the company achieve the organization’s overall goals and objectives

What differences do you see here?  What does the executive do that that Administrative person doesn’t do?  Ah, do you see that the Executive person thinks bigger?  Do you see that the Executive person solves problems, takes initiative?  

   

What do you do with that as an executive?  In your role, you have developed excellent relationships with everyone in the distribution area and they have shared with you their need for recognition, a stronger relationship with their boss, training, support issues, product performance concerns, inadequate marketing materials, and team synergy.  Additionally, you have continued to function as a support person for your boss.   All of which has caused you anger, frustration, and irritation.  Furthermore, you were enraged by the lack of recognition at Christmas time.     

An executive solves the problem, is an asset, and takes initiative to sold their boss's  PROBLEM.

Have you ever said, “It’s not my job?”   Every time you say those words, here’s what you need to imagine.  When you finally achieve that promotion you have worked so hard for, what you have done is inch by inch, day after day, year after year, you have slowly climbed a solitary 10-mile high ladder out of abandoned water well.  You are standing outside of the water well on your own two feet when you achieve that promotion.   

However, when you say the words, “it’s not my job,”  your boss shuts down and sees you standing at the bottom of the well, shakes his head in disgust.  He is wondering if his protege will make the  shift from support to management?  

He wants you to to be successful.

There is one person who is responsible for your success and that is you.  Success requires learning and that is a life long mission.  As CEO of You, invest in yourself.      

1. Take initiative.  
2. Discover his problems and solve them. 
3. Lead by example.     
4. What are his greatest challenges and figure out how to help him solve those challenges.  
5. Be present and listen to what the other person is saying without your own agenda. 
6. Be generous of spirit 

Thank you for being here. I am thrilled that you take time out of your schedule to come by.

Copyright 2009 Ev Nucci

ev-nucci

ev nucci

entrepreneur
author
career