I was recently passed
up for a promotion to someone else in the department who has been with the
company fewer years than I have and this was a position that I know very well because
I worked closely with the individual who left. I am very disappointed in the
decision and think the company is devaluing my skills. Should I look for
another job? And how will I be able to work with this person who has stolen
this job from me?
Undermined
Dear Undermined,
The fact that you applied for the job and got as far as the
final interview deserves kudos. Dealing with disappointment is an important
skill we need as is rampant in the workplace. First, ask yourself (on a scale
of 1 to 10) how dissatisfied you are as a whole? Remove the disappointment
factor of the current situation. In other words, do you like your job? Do you
like what you do? If you answered yes to either of the questions, or your level
of dissatisfaction is below 6, then re-think how you can adjust to the
situation. Here are three ways:
1.
Accept
the decision – acceptance means that you understand the decision that was
made and you will look at the future with a positive outlook.
2.
Adjust
your attitude – now that you have accepted the circumstances, change your
attitude. The good news is that you can change YOUR behavior, emotions, and
feelings. Winston Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big
difference.” Make a difference and start with changing how you think.
3.
Acknowledge
– if you can do the first two, this will be easy. Recognize that this person
was chosen for a reason, so give your new boss a chance.
Once you can accept, adjust, and acknowledge, you can think
logically and not let your emotions jeopardized your professionalism. Don’t let
others behavior dictate yours. If all
else fails, seek new employment.
Got a question? Email worklifecoach@excite.com or Tweet #worklifecoach