Getting ahead vs. watching others get ahead...

[JaniceB]

I'm sure anyone who's ever had a job has seen this happen.

You work hard, act professional, upgrade your skills, go above and beyond - everything "they" teach to you to do. Then suddenly, you look around and realize, "Hey, wait a minute. Those people are goofing off and acting like children, but they've got a better office AND they're making more money than I am!" What's up with that?

What am I, and my cubemates, doing wrong here? Yeah, yeah, I know it's the whole job thing - but obviously we've missed something that other people know...

Insights?
JaniceB

[da1prophet]

Originally Posted by JaniceB

I'm sure anyone who's ever had a job has seen this happen.

You work hard, act professional, upgrade your skills, go above and beyond - everything "they" teach to you to do. Then suddenly, you look around and realize, "Hey, wait a minute. Those people are goofing off and acting like children, but they've got a better office AND they're making more money than I am!" What's up with that?

What am I, and my cubemates, doing wrong here? Yeah, yeah, I know it's the whole job thing - but obviously we've missed something that other people know...

Insights?
JaniceB

As you seem to be aware, that's one of the inherent risks of having a traditional job. It's not always who does the best work or even who creates the most value for the company who gets ahead--its a function of politics, personality, and any number of other factors beyond your control.

I really don't think there's any big secret to why this happens--its endemic in many, if not most, corporate environments. I'd go so far as to suggest that the most successful companies are ones that minimize this sort of atmosphere and the low morale it often causes, and that the ones who seem to be treading water or sliding down a slippery slope are ones who are most infested by it.

[Future's Origin]

I recently read that someone did a study that showed that selfish people are more likely to get to the top of their profession and climb the corporate ladder quicker. I can't remember where I heard it, but it wasn't that long ago. It makes sense to me. A lot of people don't stand up for themselves at work and let others take credit for their work and ideas. The people who are standing around doing nothing but getting ahead are probably taking advantage of people and taking credit for their hard work. But who is really at fault there? The selfish jerk, obviously, but I think some of the fault lies with the people who let people walk on them. In a work environment, the only way someone can take advantage of you is if you don't have the courage to stop them or call them on it.

[Erock]

Man I'm really glad I came across this study, because I do not want to enter the work world where stuff like this happens. People are always searching externally for happiness, even if it means trampling others to get more money or status, but really it is always there, you just have to be still.

A quote from the study:

"Davidson's research is consistent with his earlier work that pinpointed the left prefrontal cortex as a brain region associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions. Using functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) on the meditating monks, Davidson found that their brain activity -- as measured by the EEG -- was especially high in this area."

Erock

[Athena]

Erock: that's cool. but, I think the even more evolved state would be to get happiness from contributive action.

[PMcDonald]

You are probably not doing anything wrong per se, and in fact may be doing everything right. The problem, as you alluded to, is the fact that in a job you typically have little to no control of your circumstances.

I have seen it too many times where the best candidate did not get the promotion or job they deserved because the person hiring knew someone or brought in a friend or a former colleague. Unfortunately, you are really at the mercy of your boss, who in many cases might not even be qualified to give you orders or direct you.

[AndrewO]

Your post prompted me to sign up.

The situation you describe is the very reason I left corporate America years ago. Following years as an officer in the military and nearly 8 years of the old AT&T, it finally dawned on me that politics is a natural occurrance of any organization. It's human nature.

Unlike being entrepreneurial, walking the corporate line is no guarantee of promotion. It's doing your job. Politics, e.g how well one gets along with someone else - and I do not mean brown noseing here, but rather simple chemistry - has a lot to do with "getting ahead" in corporate America. That chemistry is a filter which creates an impression that someone's capabilities may be more than they are in reality. In the end, it makes little difference in corporate America, it's a matter of how the chosen individual gets a long.

In the years I have had my practice, I have let competent people go because I could not get along with them. Right or wrong, the ability to work well with someone goes a long way.

[mustard76]

If you decide to work in a corporate environment keep in mind that "who you know" is just as important as how you perform at your job. Sometimes you have to network with the right people to get a promotion. If you thought your job performance alone would get you promoted and then you see your co-workers get promoted ahead of you, it's because you are playing the wrong game! Your relationships with your superiors are important.

If you don't want to play this game then go the self-employment route.

[Robert Avila]

JaniceB...

Maybe you are being prepared for something much greater?

As you continue to grow those around you will remain the same. When an opportunity comes along you can cease it, and the others will be left behind.

It may be a sign to plan your exit strategy, look for new opportunities or start your own business.

Good luck!

Robert

[bossb]

Corporate world is like that. It's one thing to work hard and do a good job, but its another thing to get credit for it.

Even though these might not be your field of work, I found it a good read, mainly the comments.

Digg - 32 Reasons Nearly All Geeks are Severely Underpaid

[Liara Covert]

Dear JaniceB,

You describe the fate of staff who don't understand the tall poppy syndrome. This is the unwritten rule that entry level and junior employees are never supposed to try to raise the standard or look more enthusiastic than their superiors. Some new people swallow their pride, cope with this, and learn to play office politics to manoeuvre their career in desirable directions. These people may be promoted, if they stay in their superior's good graces.

If you don't like this uncertain environment, or don't choose to adapt to seek approval, you may be better suited to something more entrepreneurial.

I have a friend who worked 18 years for a company. She was repeatedly passed over for promotions. As it was, these were mostly given to brown-nosers who never questioend upper management and had little idea about business strategy. With one exception, they were her less-experienced, male counterparts. When she was headhunted away by another company which offered her respect and appealing new challenges, her old company tried to offer her an equivalent package. She turned it down out of principal. Not surprisingly, that company has lost over half her department in one year as the result of questionable management decisions and office politics. My friend plans to leave her current position soon and start up her own consulting practice. She feels she has gained valuable experience, but has had it with office demands and politics.