Does it seem to make no sense who gets ahead and who does not?
Are you feeling under-appreciated or passed over?
Consider.
Imagine what it would be like to be at the next level.
What is the hardest part of that person's job?
Ask yourself what you have yet to learn to be ready.
For example, are you really ready to be fully exposed if and when things go wrong? Are you ready for the media and how ruthless it can be at the top? You may covet the lime light, but do you feel fully prepared to handle adversity when things are BAD?
Try to stop thinking in terms of time, and try to think instead in terms of being fully ready.
Don't think of the system as fickle, but instead think of the larger Universe as protecting you from exceeding your own preparedness.
Another serious issue affecting many senior executive wannabes is that of presence. Many point to their accomplishments as a sign that they should be elevated to the next job.
Unfortunately, no one sees the potential but that person. Why?
The person simply does not carry himself or herself as a senior executive. Others cannot imagine this person in the seat of power.
Reactions to disappointments and unmet expectations have a lot to do with how others perceive another's readiness for elevated power.
Consider how you are responding to obstacles.
Assume that even if others are misguided, uninformed or biased, resisting them or acting childish does NOT serve you or your ambitions.
Examples of inappropriate responses:
pouting
withdrawing
sarcasm
cooperative statements with sarcastic or uncooperative tone of voice
withholding of resources for any reason
argumentative
critical and negative comments about others
body language that screams disapproval or disgust
Your BEST response is to find a way to support the decisions others make in a mature and collaborative way. You get to be seen as gracious and a Hero, instead of "difficult".
It really does not hurt you to do so. You can always choose to leave. That may in fact, be your best revenge. Pouting certainly is not!
Remember, if you were objective, watching you, you would be unimpressed with an adult acting as if he or she was thirteen!
