5 Sad Reasons Why Good Employees are Not Promoted

You’re praised for the good work you do by many of your stakeholders. You’re the go to person if people need things sorted. You’ve presented work in front of the CEO. So what is it that is stopping your boss from promoting you when the opportunity arises?

1.) You don’t fit the image

Unfortunately there are lot of old school people around. And it can be that if you don’t look like their typical leader, you aren’t seen as management material. People believe that in order to command a team you need to have that X factor and some people incorrectly label this as “gravitas”. True gravitas is about being comfortable in your own skin, being centered and and having strong self belief, it isn’t about who speaks the loudest, is the tallest or looks the oldest. Unfortunately old school bosses may not see this. What these old school companies and bosses believe is that perceived confidence or “gravitas”equates to competence or worse trumps competence. And whilst you may have lots of competence, if you don’t have their perceived “gravitas” you’re completely discounted.

2.) Your boss doesn’t want to have to replace you when you do such a good job in your current position

Your boss may be a very insecure person, unable to adapt and does not like change. If you are doing a great job, they would prefer you to keep doing what you are doing now so there isn’t a gap should you move up the ladder. And they are willing to prevent a gap from arising at the expense of your own development. There is a short term benefit but a longer term net loss, as you’ll likely look for development in another company and leave an even bigger gap.

3.) Your boss is threatened by you

You’ll see a theme develop that insecurity drives the worse behaviors. Your boss may not want you so close to their level, as they are worried that they will be seen as superfluous and unnecessary. If it is revealed that you do all the work and that they are just the messenger between your level and the one above themselves, they could find themselves redundant. Their aim will therefore be to keep you lower down the chain, and far removed from their own superiors.

4.) Someone involved in the decision does not like you.

Your boss just doesn’t like you and again a lot of it may be to do with their own insecurity.

5.) Your boss doesn’t know what good looks like. He/She has to pay a higher price in order to feel satisfied they are hiring correctly.

Imagine if you were an experienced plumber. You would be able to tell that a £50 part can do just a good as a £100 part, and that the £100 part is just overpriced because of branding or packaging. However if you were not a plumber, you’d err towards caution and splurge on a £100 part to feel assured you’ve bought the best quality part.

This could be true for your boss. Because they may be less than competent at their job, they aren’t as secure, they would rather pay someone from the outside a lot more money to come in and do the job. They don’t want to trust you with it, cos they perceive you as junior and they themselves don’t know what what good looks like. It’s not like they can do it themselves and can specify what it is you’re missing. In effect you are paying for their incompetence and inexperience.

Okay so the reasons are pretty depressing right?! You’re finally in a place where you are truly excelling and maybe even other senior people are noticing. But they are not your boss and they can’t promote you. What do you do?

1.) Always go for the interview regardless. Most HR departments will be encouraging internal promotions, whilst this may just be lip service there may be standard rules that at least allow you onto the audition stage.

Why you should interview even if you know your boss is going to reject you:

• There will be others in the interview who can at least hear about your skills and you experiences.

• You are letting people know that you ambitious and not one to be overlooked the next time another opportunity arises.

2.) If you don’t fit the image, adjust your image.

Now this does NOT mean NOT be yourself. But if you need to look a little older, a little taller, a little richer so that you can give the air of this so called mystical “gravitas”, then tweak your look. Wear heels, wear an expensive watch, buy an expensive looking ring, adjust your make up so you look just that little bit older, wear a blazer, the options are limitless.

You only want to make little adjustments in each department because you don’t want to NOT be yourself. You want to keep your TRUE gravitas, which is that you are comfortable with who you are, you just need to slip through their old school discriminatory filters.

3.) Ask for specific feedback why you were unsuccessful for a promotion.

You need to get feedback for why you weren’t promoted, and you need to be told sooner rather than later so that you have the time to work on it for the next time there is an opportunity. Ask for specifics, for example if it was because someone else was just more senior, push for specifics, what does it mean to be more senior, and they can’t say age!!!

Make sure you have tangible targets that they can set and that you can prove you’ve met

Ensure that you will be given the opportunity to prove you can do what they say you can’t do.

If you prove you can meet those targets, there should be no excuse for example why you are not “senior” enough.

Never give up. These are all experiences you will learn from. Good Luck!