4 Ways to Earn Advancement Without Causing Jealousy
You outshine others when you earn advancement. You don’t intend to cause jealousy, but low emotional intelligence invites unintended controversy.
Strong relationships accelerate advancement.
You need people pulling for you. It’s hard to lead colleagues who feel slapped down while you get called up. Better to have people pulling for you than fighting against you.
4 ways to earn advancement without causing jealousy:
#1. Brag:
Brag about others every chance you get. Brag about your team, your colleagues, the boss. Heck, brag about the dog next door.
Diffuse jealousy by bragging about others.
Big hearted people brag about others.
#2. Inform:
Hints of secrecy cause suspicion. You aren’t trying to be sly, but others judge you on the stories they tell themselves. You’re just doing your job. But when you advance above peers people find reasons to find fault.
Keep your boss in the loop. Jealous colleagues might find ways to complain that you’re overstepping or violating procedures. People who feel threatened protect themselves. One strategy is to undermine the ‘enemy’.
When giving information to the boss:
- Be brief. Give an overview. Explain goals.
- Be open. Frequently say, “I’m open to suggestions.”
- Be transparent. End brief updates with, “Let me know if you need more information.”
- Be positive. Never badmouth. Open your mouth to build up; other than that, zip it.
#3. Learn:
Share what you’re learning. Say things like…
- I just read.
- I just found this great video. I learned…
- I just talked with a friend. I learned…
- I just screwed up. I learned…
Be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all.
Tip: Seek advice. Avoid all appearances of instructing colleagues.
#4. Compete:
Compete with yourself, not colleagues.
How might people earn advancement without causing jealousy?
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Surround yourself with people better than yourself and help them achieve their potential. Many of them will disregard you when they succeed, but you need only one of them to remember.
Thanks Pixy. The alternatives seem untenable.
Surround yourself with untalented people and hope they fail?
Block the success of talented people?
Make yourself look good at the expense of others?
I completely agree with learning and competing but in a highly educated and functioning group bragging and informing can be at times obvious and disingenuous…when one is consistently behaving this way and others are silently observing leads to tolerance and getting a job done versus a team solidarity or cohesiveness…thanks as always for stimulating constructive discussion and thoughts.
Thanks Ken. Being genuine is essential. We smell hypocrisy and manipulation a mile away.
I agree, but it’s all about how you do it. Maybe rather than thinking of it as bragging, think about it as complimenting…
“I was really impressed with how Ken did X”
“I’d never really thought about X, yet Dan brought such a fresh perspective…”
Thanks for your insights, Leslie. Words matter. Tone matters. Our attitude matters.
Focus on each team member. Ask each one
1. What are your goals?
2. How can I help?
Thanks Paul. I take the idea of being personal from your comment.
“Others judge you on the stories they tell themselves.” – so true.
“Be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all.” – perfect.
Why, oh why? I could have used this 10 years ago, Dan!
Better late than never, though. Thank you!
I have found over the years, just do your best and others will take notice
Soon they will offer opportunities to advance. Br humble and don’t toot your horn others will do it for you!
The best point is finding joy and fulfillment in what we do!
Remember we were not put here to judge each other but to work in harmony, which is easier said than done!