You were on time for the important meetings. You turned in the reports on time. You handled each task efficiently. And yet, when the time came for getting your reward, your job failed you. Your boss/manager failed to provide you with the rewards you clearly deserved.
We’ve all been there – not getting the promotion we truly deserved. But not all of us are able to get out of the despair caused by the situation. Many of us feel discouraged, sit for hours wondering what we did wrong or sit for hours blaming those around us or spend most of our time indulging ourselves in drugs or unhealthy activities. But some of us manage to come out of this dark pit. Let us see what the people who are able to get out of it do right.
1. Take Care Of Your Emotions
You don’t have to rush right into the drill once you receive the bad news. Give yourself some pampering to relieve yourself of the negative thought patterns and stress. This could include going for a short trip, yoga class or spa retreat. Just whatever helps you relax a little bit. You don’t have to sink into the waters right away. Give yourself some breathing space.
Remember your boss was hard on you. You don’t have to be hard on yourself.
2. Ask What, Not Why
Once you feel slightly better to return to your cubicle, have a chat with your supervisor about WHAT you can do to get the desired promotion instead of asking him/her WHY you did not get it. This reflects your resilient hard working spirit. Take notes and get the specifics right. It’ll show your supervisor your ability to overcome hard situations with great optimism.
3. Let Your Armour Shine
The more the cubicles and the rooms around you hear the thunder of your hard work, the easier it’ll be for you to rise up the ladder. Build cross functional teams and regularly update your manager of your accomplishments and take feedback religiously.
4. Be Honest
Let your colleagues know that yes, you were disappointed and hurt about not going up the ladder but also let them know that you will try to make it work well with the person who got it in your place. Try and not bad mouth this person, you’ll only invite more trouble. See it as a problem and start solving it, instead of mulling about it for days to come.
5. Time For Some Soul Searching
Ask yourself if you really wanted the job. Maybe all this time you’ve been running on a treadmill that will get you nowhere. Some introspection might lead you to consider new opportunities and jobs. Use this situation as a chance to work on both your personal and professional growth. Use this suffering as an opportunity to change paths, both personally and professionally.
And lastly, remember that a promotion does not get to define you. You are much more than that.
