Many years ago when I worked at a restaurant, a certain server was noted as being a particularly good worker and showed potential for taking on more responsibility. So she was promoted to a supervisory position instead of waiting tables. Unfortunately, her initial response to the new position was to lose her friendly smile. She began to throw her weight around, waste time, clown around, and stopped engaging the customers. Shortly afterwards, she was fired.
A newly promoted employee can also be the target of envious coworkers who challenge his authority or seek to manipulate him or to get by with slothful work. All of a sudden, he is no longer just “one of the guys” even though he may not be behaving badly. His new responsibility brings a different perspective not necessarily shared or appreciated by his coworkers. Continue reading