Some light-hearted reflections on my working career before I established my own company.
First time I asked (applied) for a job – I got it.
A few years later I asked for a transfer overseas. There was a challenging vacancy in the Philippines. I asked for it. – I didn’t get the job. Then there was an even more challenging vacancy in Nigeria. I asked for it. – I didn’t get the job. Finally, the company offered me a less challenging / lower pay job in South Africa and I had to settle for this.
After 2 years in South Africa, I asked (applied) for a branch manager job – I didn’t get it. Later I asked (applied) for a job as national sales manager for a product division – I didn’t get it.
I asked my headquarter for a transfer out of South Africa – I got it – Hurray, a sales manager job in Singapore. After a few years here in Singapore, I asked for my position to receive a higher ranking in the internal grading system which has a big impact on fringe benefits. I thought this to be fair. After all I tripled the turnover, which was also my target. – I didn’t get it. Stretched over a number of years I asked 3 – 4 times for the upgrading – I didn’t get it.
All the above took place with my first employer. Eventually I decided to leave.
I applied for a few jobs – Didn’t get it. Then a met a gentleman at a party. He was a regional Managing Director and talked about a job opening in his organization. I asked for it – I got it. Few years later the MD of the Singapore branch left. I asked for the MD job. – I got it. A few years later I got a new boss who happened to get involved in every detail, asking so many questions and reports that I didn’t have time anymore to do my real MD job. I asked for more freedom – I didn’t get.
That gave me the nudge to fulfil my dream and established my own business. – I got it.
Points to reflect.
Let’s leave aside a few basics we all know. When you ask for something you must have solid arguments and you must be able to deliver.
Having said this, it appears to me that if we don’t ask for what we want, we may be overlooked to be a serious contender. Asking shows confidence. In my mind we are never 100% ready for the next step. When we are ‘sort of ready’ we must ask and have the confidence to grow into it.
The downside of asking for more is, of course, that you almost certainly receive more ‘No’s’ than ‘Yes’s’. A ‘No’ doesn’t make you feel nice, but we need to soldier on. At the end of the day, I am strongly convinced that my life turned out more successfully by keeping on asking for what I want and take the ‘No’s’ in my stride.
How did I accept a ‘No’? I clenched my teeth and always was ready to fight harder thinking ‘One day I will show you’. I kept on working hard, that’s good, but I also carried a few grudges. That’s human, but not too good as the thinking becomes a bit negative. On hindsight, I would do one thing differently. After receiving an 'No', I would stay more positive and always ask the decision maker rejecting me something like, ‘Okay I respect the decision, however, I am still ambitious and want to get to the next level. Please tell me where you see the gap in terms of personal traits, experience, or competence. Can we work out a plan to close the gap? Can you assist me with advice?’ I think I would have gained one or two mentors and this would have benefited my personal and career development tremendously.
First time I asked (applied) for a job – I got it.
A few years later I asked for a transfer overseas. There was a challenging vacancy in the Philippines. I asked for it. – I didn’t get the job. Then there was an even more challenging vacancy in Nigeria. I asked for it. – I didn’t get the job. Finally, the company offered me a less challenging / lower pay job in South Africa and I had to settle for this.
After 2 years in South Africa, I asked (applied) for a branch manager job – I didn’t get it. Later I asked (applied) for a job as national sales manager for a product division – I didn’t get it.
I asked my headquarter for a transfer out of South Africa – I got it – Hurray, a sales manager job in Singapore. After a few years here in Singapore, I asked for my position to receive a higher ranking in the internal grading system which has a big impact on fringe benefits. I thought this to be fair. After all I tripled the turnover, which was also my target. – I didn’t get it. Stretched over a number of years I asked 3 – 4 times for the upgrading – I didn’t get it.
All the above took place with my first employer. Eventually I decided to leave.
I applied for a few jobs – Didn’t get it. Then a met a gentleman at a party. He was a regional Managing Director and talked about a job opening in his organization. I asked for it – I got it. Few years later the MD of the Singapore branch left. I asked for the MD job. – I got it. A few years later I got a new boss who happened to get involved in every detail, asking so many questions and reports that I didn’t have time anymore to do my real MD job. I asked for more freedom – I didn’t get.
That gave me the nudge to fulfil my dream and established my own business. – I got it.
Points to reflect.
Let’s leave aside a few basics we all know. When you ask for something you must have solid arguments and you must be able to deliver.
Having said this, it appears to me that if we don’t ask for what we want, we may be overlooked to be a serious contender. Asking shows confidence. In my mind we are never 100% ready for the next step. When we are ‘sort of ready’ we must ask and have the confidence to grow into it.
The downside of asking for more is, of course, that you almost certainly receive more ‘No’s’ than ‘Yes’s’. A ‘No’ doesn’t make you feel nice, but we need to soldier on. At the end of the day, I am strongly convinced that my life turned out more successfully by keeping on asking for what I want and take the ‘No’s’ in my stride.
How did I accept a ‘No’? I clenched my teeth and always was ready to fight harder thinking ‘One day I will show you’. I kept on working hard, that’s good, but I also carried a few grudges. That’s human, but not too good as the thinking becomes a bit negative. On hindsight, I would do one thing differently. After receiving an 'No', I would stay more positive and always ask the decision maker rejecting me something like, ‘Okay I respect the decision, however, I am still ambitious and want to get to the next level. Please tell me where you see the gap in terms of personal traits, experience, or competence. Can we work out a plan to close the gap? Can you assist me with advice?’ I think I would have gained one or two mentors and this would have benefited my personal and career development tremendously.
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Dear Gunther
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog.
So, as a manager, how would you manage staff who asked for a promotion but whom you think cannot be promoted yet. The "common practice" seems to be that the employer is not obliged to tell the staff why he cannot be promoted yet.
Thanks.
Chew
I really hope it is not common practice. Keeping staff uninformed doesn't mean they stop thinking. The just draw their own conclusions. So, as a manager I would rather be in control, talk to your staff, set goals, review, be transparent. Have a look at the postings on this blog on 'Transparency' and 'Successful Performance Reviews'.
ReplyDeleteDear Gunther,
ReplyDeleteGreatly appreciate your persistence in your career.
Well some after thoughts...What does one do on getting a "No", when the reasons your manager gives does not seem rational to you? The most common reactions I have seen are either, an employer leaves the job or else he just gets frustrated.
Thanks,
Roopa
Dear Roopa, please don't get frustrated as this will impact your performance and the person who said 'No' will feel they made the correct decision. There is third option. Keep on doing a good job. Good chance somebody will notice. Maybe you will learn something. Give yourself a bit time, sometimes we have to go through a rough patch. After doing all that, it is okay to set yourself a date when to review the whole situation. And then you make a decison with a cool head. We don't make decison out of frustration as it may get a bit emotional.
ReplyDelete