My wife, Shelly, is an accountant. She consumes data, balance sheets, and reports like chocolate melting off a graham cracker when making s’mores over an open fire.
Everyone she works for loves her. She works twice as hard as most people and treats each business as if it were her own. In a recent conversation, I was encouraging her to start her own tax accounting business. Her response was, ‘I don’t want the responsibility.’ I tried, to no avail, to convince her she could make more money if she were to just accept more responsibility as an owner. She’s not interested in the promotion to ownership.
When it comes to PROMOTION, Shelly has it right. Some of us may have it wrong.
My work in the non-profit sector doesn’t differ much when compared to a for-profit company. Gifted and self-motivated team members who execute well are often PROMOTED.
PROMOTION is defined as ‘an advancement in rank or position’. Herein lies the danger!
What begins as a reward for performance can quickly become a craving for power, prestige, and position. If we’re not careful, our love for our work subtly shifts to an insatiable desire for PROMOTION. That’s when it becomes more about us and less about the organization and its mission.
Through much observation and some experience, here’s a bit of what I’d suggest PROMOTION really brings.
PROMOTION is an increase of RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY.
Increased RESPONSIBILITY means…
- The stakes are higher. More families are affected by your success or failure.
- Your words carry more weight. Just saying what you think or feel can be damaging.
- Your tank must stay full. More people need you to bring positive energy to every situation.
- You lift others. Your greatest people are your greatest resource. It’s your responsibility to lead them toward their maximum contribution.
Increased ACCOUNTABILITY means…
- Results matter. A promotion will bring greater expectations. Repeated failure in meeting expectations should result in, well, you know…
- Integrity matters. You no longer live in a silo with the curtains drawn. You’ve moved up to a glass house.
- People matter. Investing in team members and future leaders is essential. Those who ride off into the sunset without a group of capable successors have failed.
It can be sobering when we think about PROMOTION in this light. Are You Looking For A Promotion? Go for it, but remember it’s all about increased RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY.
