When work won't let you do your job

[ASD_Geek]

Our team (I work in IT) has a daily briefing call to catch everyone up because we work at two separate locations. One of the topics that came up was that the higher ups want us on a career path. Our boss told us that they'd like us to be on track to become project managers and then department managers. I've held both of these positions before and did not like them. I asked my boss what would happen if we were happy where we were and did not want to move up. He said that that was not an option.

Both of these positions involve a high amount of stress and dealing with people as well as uncertainty in daily activities. In addition I would lose my option of working from home two days a week which is one of the only things that helps keep me sane.

Why can't companies leave you were you are if you are happy and productive there instead of trying to fit you into a spot where you will not be happy and not be productive?

 

[Judge]

Why can't companies leave you were you are if you are happy and productive there instead of trying to fit you into a spot where you will not be happy and not be productive?

Because otherwise corporate mentalities would have to admit the truth of "The Peter Principle".

“In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robasgh...the-peter-principle-means-today/#4bc33ba5631b

For doing my job exceedingly well, they put me into another position I eventually came to hate. It's a twisted mentality built on a false premise that if you aren't constantly striving for something better in the future, that you will become complacent in the present.

Bullsh*t.

 

[midlife aspie]

It's an attempt to shake out people who the management feels are simply "getting by". They probably think that mandating everyone to follow a certain path will create an atmosphere of competition (and fear) among those who want to remain employed and encourage folks with your mentality to quit. You might want to start looking for a new employer.

 

[theminx]

Why can't companies leave you were you are if you are happy and productive there instead of trying to fit you into a spot where you will not be happy and not be productive?

I had this happen to me. I worked in biotech. It was before I knew about being an Aspie.

I did what they asked, cuz I didn't know how to push back. Plus, they misinterpreted certain things I did outside the scope of my job description, such as gap analyses of systems unrelated to what I was working on and suggested preventive measures, to be...something it was not.

I tried to explain this to them, that their systems were archaic and I merely submitted my observations as a means to effect beneficial change...not change my own position.

But they never believe you. They think everyone has a hidden agenda. And anything done other than what is asked must be due to a means to another end.

I find this to be infinitely frustrating.

I got moved into a position that required office politics and social savvy, something I am quite deficient. I am often good at one on one interactions, especially if I feel comfortable with a person enough to let my gaurd down. I can even be effective in small groups with peer members, if I'm allowed to function mostly as a lone entity. But when the expectation is to run meetings and sell my findings to upper management and manage others...I literally begin to fall apart.

That is what happened to me.

So, I relate to your current dilemma and frustration. I wish I could offer some beneficial advice. I'm sorry that I can't, that I've nothing more to offer than to let you know I relate.

 

[ASD_Geek]

So, I relate to your current dilemma and frustration. I wish I could offer some beneficial advice. I'm sorry that I can't, that I've nothing more to offer than to let you know I relate.

That's OK, just having you all to sound off to and to be able to relate helps tremendously! I am sorry that you had to go through it as well. It is so frustrating. Thanks again. I appreciate it very much.

 

[ASD_Geek]

It's an attempt to shake out people who the management feels are simply "getting by". They probably think that mandating everyone to follow a certain path will create an atmosphere of competition (and fear) among those who want to remain employed and encourage folks with your mentality to quit. You might want to start looking for a new employer.

I never thought about it from that point of view. It makes sense. I do get some people that contact me through Linked In so I could probably get an interview, but I don't like interviewing and don't like the unknown of what a new job holds. I'm always afraid that I won't be able to do the job when hired and begin to over analyze everything.

 

[wanderer03]

You're probably safe flying below the radar a bit. Don't mention anything about more responsibilities or promotions. Simply because your boss says you must accept promotions, doesn't mean that it will actually happen. Management styles change as often as the wind. My advice to you is to cross that bridge when you get to it.

 

[ASD_Geek]

You're probably safe flying below the radar a bit. Don't mention anything about more responsibilities or promotions. Simply because your boss says you must accept promotions, doesn't mean that it will actually happen. Management styles change as often as the wind. My advice to you is to cross that bridge when you get to it.

Thanks for the advice! It sounds like a good plan as I try to fly low on the radar anyway. I was recently given a project to "manage" and I am doing my best (but it's nerveracking) but once that is over, I am going to try to just stay in the background and do my job to the best of my ability. I mean, we do need daily operations people anyway, so I am trying to focus there.

 

[wanderer03]

Thanks for the advice! It sounds like a good plan as I try to fly low on the radar anyway. I was recently given a project to "manage" and I am doing my best (but it's nerveracking) but once that is over, I am going to try to just stay in the background and do my job to the best of my ability. I mean, we do need daily operations people anyway, so I am trying to focus there.

There you go! Are you given the proper tools like MS Project to help? If not, there is a great free application called ProjectLibre. It has a similar feel to MS Project so it's easy to use.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Yes, they provide MS Project and that at least helps me to stay organized. It's the actual meetings and the unknown that I don't like.

 

[wanderer03]

Yes, they provide MS Project and that at least helps me to stay organized. It's the actual meetings and the unknown that I don't like.

Yeah, I hated meetings. I hear you.

 

[Datura]

Why is it always presumed that career advancement means taking on leadership roles? Leadership is a skill set that is completely unrelated to many jobs. Just because somebody is a good welder (for example) does not mean they are fit to judge the character of welders, resolve conflicts between employees, and delegate tasks. Perhaps a good welder is just a good welder and should be allowed to do what they are good at, whereas a mediocre welder with good organizational and interpersonal skills should take over the leadership position.

The importance of leadership roles are also ovevalue, in my opinion. Yes, it is essential to have leadership to keep people on task, but that doesn't make them more important than the people they are leading. Of course, leaders determine priorites, so it is only natural that society would become biassed toward them, but I contend that leaders are far more easily replaced than they would like to admit.

 

[wanderer03]

Why is it always presumed that career advancement means taking on leadership roles? Leadership is a skill set that is completely unrelated to many jobs. Just because somebody is a good welder (for example) does not mean they are fit to judge the character of welders, resolve conflicts between employees, and delegate tasks. Perhaps a good welder is just a good welder and should be allowed to do what they are good at, whereas a mediocre welder with good organizational and interpersonal skills should take over the leadership position.

The importance of leadership roles are also ovevalue, in my opinion. Yes, it is essential to have leadership to keep people on task, but that doesn't make them more important than the people they are leading. Of course, leaders determine priorites, so it is only natural that society would become biassed toward them, but I contend that leaders are far more easily replaced than they would like to admit.

Very well put!

 

[Professori]

It is assumed that everyone who works should be upwardly mobile - that is what supposedly defines a career, and that is what society expects if one is to be accepted as being successful. However, this type of thinking is very archaic, but unfortunately it takes society and companies a long time to catch up with realistic changes.

A researcher in Postive Organisational Behaviour, Fred Luthans, has contradicted this approach for many years. He wrote a paper some time back on competent versus successful 'managers' in which he makes it clear that the most competent workers usually remain at the lower to mid-levels of the organisation because they choose to focus on and perfect their skills.

Those who are seen as successful usually climb the organisational ladder, but only because of their networking skills and tend to be j

 

[Professori]

Oops, did not complete the post.

Those who are seen as successful usually climb the organisational ladder, but only because of their networking skills and tend to be far less competent at their jobs. So, the preferred employee is the one who is more competent because those are the ones who are core to organisational functioning. Managers without competent staff are irrelevant.

I choose to focus on expertise rather than 'networking' but don't necessarily respect authority. I have have always been regarded as 'rebellious' in that way, but I agree with Luthans' research conclusions. Who respects incompetence? Of course, there is generalization in this.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Why is it always presumed that career advancement means taking on leadership roles?

Good reply! I've been there before... manager, then director and it's so much different from being a regular worker bee. I did not like it at all, not to mention middle management is always where the first cuts are when the company decides to save money. I am more than happy to do my job to the best of my ability, which I'll admit is hard at times, but I can manage without being around people and with some recovery time.

I wished that more companies thought like you!

 

[wanderer03]

Good reply! I've been there before... manager, then director and it's so much different from being a regular worker bee. I did not like it at all, not to mention middle management is always where the first cuts are when the company decides to save money. I am more than happy to do my job to the best of my ability, which I'll admit is hard at times, but I can manage without being around people and with some recovery time.

I wished that more companies thought like you!

You got a lot further than I ever did. I made it to project manager and then had a complete and utter meltdown which spelled the end for my career in Information Technology. Now, I'm a professional driver looking at becoming an independent contractor. It's a simpler life ....

 

[ASD_Geek]

You got a lot further than I ever did. I made it to project manager and then had a complete and utter meltdown which spelled the end for my career in Information Technology. Now, I'm a professional driver looking at becoming an independent contractor. It's a simpler life ....

The simple life is a better life. I was only a director for three months. I didn't like it… Too many meetings, too many people and too much stress. Not to mention that I don't do well with office politics.

That's why I want to stay where I am at my current job. I work alone with one other person in an office and most of my interactions are done through email or sometimes on the phone. I also get to work from home two days a week which really helps.

Good luck at becoming an independent contractor. I hope that you get to do it. They say that there's nothing like being your own boss [emoji3]

 

[Hidden_1]

When an employee demonstrates ambition the management then has a powerful lever to manipulate the employee. They can use their power to force actions that many employees would rather not do. (report on other employees; work extra hours for free; even lie to cover for the managers' failings) Many managers see non-ambitious employees as potential threats.

 

[Judge]

Why is it always presumed that career advancement means taking on leadership roles?

Good question. I'm guessing that such a mentality is deeply rooted in one of society's most basic institutions.

- The military. Where rank and status are directly proportional to executive thinking.

A precarious societal assumption IMO.