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I am in a weird position; benefitting from a system many friends are frustrated by. I’ve been given opportunities by the same management they are disappointed in. And for a few years now I’ve been part of management teams and also great friends to people who distrust management more than a shattered romantic distrusts her silver-tongued ex.

It is uncomfortable, but also gives a unique view and understanding of both sides of the coin;

The Unpromoted Employee…

Wants to be trained and taught, wants to grow into a leadership role, wants to be trusted with more responsibility, wants to be more valued by his bosses and invited to major stakeholder meetings. He is baffled when they keep bringing people to lead the department without considering him. It sucks even more if he finds that he has to deliver on things supervisor should have been able to do.

So he decides it’s wiser to not be proactive, to not sacrifice and go out of his way to deliver. If they’re not ready to pay more he won’t give his all. Until then, if it’s not on his job description, it’s not happening!

The Searching Employer…

Wants someone with demonstrable expertise, energy and drive. Someone who can lead, who the clients will respect. Someone with a keen understanding of the industry and its dynamics. He wants someone who beyond doing what is asked of him, will anticipate, plan to and expertly execute what needs to be done. He wants someone assertive.

Someone who can see the bigger picture. Oh if only there was such a person in-house, then he won’t have to be scouring Linkedin and hiring headhunters!

The Irony

It’s like the corporate version of ‘Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars.’ Truth is, there are some employers who are too opportunistic to be fair even if you give them a lifetime to come around. Those ones don’t deserve your loyalty. But most employers just don’t see as much value in employees as they (employees) see in themselves. Yes, it’s a failure on their part, they should know better, they should be more astute in spotting and nurturing talent, blah blah blah.

What I’ve learnt…

When you have your eye and heart on a prize, assume your employer is partially deaf, dumb and blind. Don’t expect them to meet you halfway. Walk as far as you can, further past that invisible halfway mark till it makes no business sense for them to deny you your desire.

• Don’t waste your energy feeling disappointed because a certain expectation hasn’t materialized. Plan in such a way that you win regardless of how things turn out.
• Rising is a combination of working hard and working smart. Plan such that the rewards for your brilliance doesn’t have to come from your current employer by all means. Your next employer could easily overcompensate for all the unpaid value your current employer enjoys.
• Identify a need in your company/industry develop the skillset to deliver. Demonstrate this ability without making any immediate demands. When the right time comes and current employer is unwilling to do the needful, use your strategically developed skillset and experience as leverage elsewhere. If you’ve done a good job, others would have noticed.

Caveat: most employees misjudge the strategic skillset needed. They spend lots of time and energy delivering on what is needed to the neglect of what is greatly desired. So you design faster than anyone and never complain, but you haven’t developed the thinking that allows you to scientifically demonstrate the journey from brief to execution.

• Be your PR. Modesty is applauded by our Ghanaian culture but useless to your career. Arrogance and boastfulness are toxic and disgusting. You must be tasteful and subtle but effective in making sure that your value is recognized by all.

For example, once a month, share useful resources plus your analysis and relevant suggestions via email to all in your company.

• Grow your knowledge base of company/industry relevant matters and make memorable inputs when you get the chance at meetings, especially those with notable seniors present.
• Go out of your way to be incredibly valuable to company clients. Let them do the dirty work of talking you up to your bosses.
• Be politically discerning. Don’t waste your time joining cliques. Listen when you must, but don’t always say what you intend to do. Nod, smile and proceed as planned if the new information isn’t worth diverting course because of.
• Don’t be infected by other people’s negativity. Keep your passion pure with the intensity of your desire.
• Don’t be a pushover. Stand for yourself in the most polite, friendly but firm way. Some may despise you, but those who matter will respect you, no matter how much higher up the ladder they are.
• Determine what’s really –most- valuable to your employers and demonstrate conspicuous value in this regard.

Then start a countdown, because it’s only a matter of time before what you want calls you by name.

PS: Originally written in May 2019 @ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/veteran-unpromoted-employee-benjamin-anyan/

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