Through The Looking Glass – How A Promotion Changes Everything

By Brian Maynor 

 

In the professional world hard work, dedication and success are rewarded with promotions that raise you through the ranks. For some it happens very quickly, while others spend years making the climb.

Since promotions aren’t given without any expectation of success, why is it that 50-70% of executives fail in the first 18 months of their appointment? The reason is simple, there is a gross underestimated impact on just how much a promotion changes everything.

Here are a few of the most common pitfalls new executives face, whether they realize it or not:

1.    Celebrity Status. It may seem odd to compare a promotion to being a celebrity, but there are more similarities than you might expect. Once your promotion is announced you become the lead story in the company, especially from former peers, and everyone is interested in everything you do. People you’ve never spoken to will know your name and your professional life is basically placed under a microscope. Since your new role will change your priorities and accessibility people can’t help but fill the gaps and voids with stories of their own.

It’s not enough to understand that people will try to define you by your position; in order to succeed you need to counteract it by controlling your image before your persona becomes the only way people know you.

2.    Speaking Through a Bullhorn. Another aspect of a promotion is that people hang on your every word and look for hidden meanings behind everything you say. Part of being an executive is the idea that you embody your role, and every word, behavior and action is linked to that role.

This changes, if not completely eliminates, the idea of ‘small talk’ for executives. In order to retain some control over your new message, it must be carefully crafted, clear and precise. Everything from your inflection to your pauses will have a greater impact once you become an executive.

3.    Resetting Boundaries. One of the biggest adjustments to a promotion is understanding the impact it has on relationships; particularly close ones. People that you once interacted with easily and comfortably may now be strained or at least different, especially when former peers become direct reports or remain at lower levels, and those aren’t the only changes in relationships that require adjustments. Former superiors are now peers, which can seem disconcerting at first.

In order to successfully navigate these new relationships it is important to redefine the boundaries of previous relationships and embrace new ones with as little distrust and suspicion as possible.

 Being promoted is exciting and a true accomplishment you should relish, but they also change everything, even though you think ‘you’re still the same person’ to other people you’re not.

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

 

 

I am always curious to hear from you and what you see in the workplace. Send your questions, comments and pet peeves to [email protected]. Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.

 

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.

 

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