What do we do when we don't get something we really wanted? Or what do we feel when we don't get something we think we deserved? Obviously, those are not the best situations in life but sooner or later we have to face them. And depending on how we react to those kinds of things we either move forward and use this as a springboard or we quit. At our workplace, we also face many challenges and situations when we don't receive what we think we rightfully deserve. And today we would like to talk about one of such situations - when you are denied a promotion. Whenever it happens it is miserable. It hurts no matter how old are you, what your perspectives are, and where you work. The question remains then: how to react after the tough “No”?
Keep Calm, Have a Plan, and Work On It
First of all, it is good to have a plan before asking for a promotion. And a good plan usually allows for two options: rejection and approval. It is always better to be prepared for everything. If you don't have a plan you might want to create one before asking for a promotion. And the very first thing on your plan in case of rejection should be to calm down. It is important to make a commitment not to make any decisions on the first day or two after you have been denied a promotion. Emotions will likely take over and whatever the decision you will make it will unlikely be a rational one. So make sure you cool off before you have any conversations with the management or other employees. At this stage, one can destroy everything he/she had built before. After all, there is no such person who has lived a life without failures. Famous athletes and movie stars had their bad days when they were rejected in one way or another.
Another good step would be meeting with your direct supervisor to get some feedback and comments regarding your performance. It is one thing what you believe about yourself but the thoughts of your manager can be very different. The purpose of the talk is to understand what you need for your professional development. It is not to criticize the decision of your manager or the company in general, it is to know what you need to have done to get that promotion. You could even ask for recommendations and suggestions as to what you could do better. Then, take time to analyze what has been said and what you actually could do in order to get better in what you do. After the conversation with your boss, you can decide whether you have opportunities in the company or it is better to leave. The decisions will likely be based on what your manager says. It will communicate whether he/she will change his/her mind in the future. Evaluating your chances then to grow and be recognized by the leadership of the company will become evident and you will be able to make your decision.
