My father loved sleight of hand. I loved it when he pulled quarters out of my ears. It tickled. I always wondered how that quarter got up there in the first place!
Of course we all know I don’t have quarters in my ears, at least not lately. My dad practiced all the time to make the trick appear seamless. He was always moving coins between his fingers.
It got me thinking about the relationship between what you want and what you should have. I wanted to be able to do that trick but I never got the hang of it. Wanting something does not automatically lead to getting what you want.
This is true in the business world too. You might have business goals but what have you done to make those goals reality?
Kelley works is an Assistant Store Manager. She loves her job and wants to be promoted to Store Manager. She wants it really bad. She wants it so bad she is willing to go to another company to get the promotion she wants. She is frustrated with her lack of response from management.
The big question Kelley needs to ask herself is what has she done to warrant the promotion?
Kelley’s complaint is not unusual. We have heard this before. Lack of recognition by management is a leading cause of employee discontent. Many employees leave their jobs because management ignores performance.
Here are some tips to increase the chance you get what you want:
- Make sure your bosses know what you want
- Do what you say you will do – be reliable
- Have accomplishments you can point to. Make sure management is aware of your accomplishments.
- Dress and behave like the folks who already have that job. Make it obvious that you will fit into the role.
- Take on extra work or additional projects to display your abilities to influencial people who can help your career.
- Become indispensable but not so valuable that your managers never want to promote you to another position
- Train a replacement. Sometimes really valuable people are not promoted because no one is available to take their place.
- Find a mentor among influential people in management so you have someone who can lobby for you.
If all else fails, start looking for a position with a company that will value what you bring. You still have to be able to describe what you want and why you should get it. No one will give you a promotion just because you want it, or even if you deserve it.
You will get the position you want only when you can describe succinctly what you want and why you should have it.
The Interview Doctor can help you