Nov. 1, 2015 "Smart worker, terrible boss": I cut out this article in 24 News on Nov. 5, 2012. It's also from Job Boom. It's about people who are great at their jobs, but not necessarily as a manager.
The thing that stood out to me the most was:
“The Peter Principle suggests that, ultimately, organizations that hire only from within will eventually end up with incompetent people doing all of their jobs,” says Professor Richard Long of the University of Saskatchewan’s Edwards School of Business. “Now, that’s an exaggeration, but to some extent it’s true.”
Here's the whole article:
The boss thinks you’re an invaluable employee and wants to reward you with a promotion. But is it a step in the right direction or a push into a career pitfall?
You’re a shining example of a great employee, but it doesn’t mean you’ll make a stellar boss. Companies that fail to recognize this risk can fall into the trap of the Peter Principle, first formulated by authors Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in 1968. The principle describes the common practice of using promotions as a way to reward employees who demonstrate competence in their current roles.
“The Peter Principle suggests that, ultimately, organizations that hire only from within will eventually end up with incompetent people doing all of their jobs,” says Professor Richard Long of the University of Saskatchewan’s Edwards School of Business. “Now, that’s an exaggeration, but to some extent it’s true.”
Promote for the right reasons
The road to a bad promotion is often paved with a company’s good intentions. “When people are smart and they’re dependable, you want to reward them,” says Serina Pu, a human resources consultant based in Vancouver.
But if the employee lacks the necessary skills to lead a team, it often results in disappointment for the individual and the organization. “The classic example is always in sales,” says Long. “Just because you were a great salesperson, doesn’t mean you’re going to be a great sales manager.”
Ultimately, Long says when an employee flounders after a promotion, the fault lies with the company. The organization has failed to recognize that competence in one role does not translate into success in another.
Leadership isn’t for everyone
Good organizations provide potential management candidates with opportunities to demonstrate their abilities before they are promoted, says Pu. A supportive environment includes constructive feedback and leadership training as well as chances to head team projects.
But Professor Ron Burke of York University’s School of Human Resources Management says companies should remember that not everyone wants to take centre stage, and not everyone can be a leader. “Somebody who is basically doing their job very well and doesn’t want to be more than that, there’s a great place for that kind of person.”
Nov. 11 "Holiday season brings job- hunting opportunities": I cut out this article by Marvin Walberg in the Globe and Mail on Nov. 18, 2010. It's motivational and inspirational. These are really good tips:
Many job seekers mistakenly believe that hiring halts during the holiday season, but, according to career consultant and author Jean Baur, November and December are not dead zones in the job market.
"If you're out there working the job market when others aren't, you've got an advantage. You have less competition. You'll stand out," Baur says. "And in addition, it's the people who are using winter holiday parties to network who will be working sooner than those who give up and stay home to bake cookies."
In her book "Eliminated! Now What?: Finding Your Way from Job-Loss Crisis to Career Resilience," Baur offers the following tips for navigating the job market during the holidays:
Do:
-- Take advantage of the holiday season to send out e-cards to your network that briefly update them on your status in the job search.
-- Use the holidays as an opportunity to connect with others. This could mean inviting your neighbors over for dessert and coffee, organizing an outing for your children and some of their friends or helping a friend with a project. These activities should be fun, but they're also opportunities to keep your network expanding and current.
-- Rely on evidence and not hearsay to determine your direction. Pay attention to what's working and what's not in your search, and adjust your strategy.
Don't:
-- Let myths about lack of hiring during the holiday season lull you into sitting around.
-- Take others' opinions literally. In an effort to be comforting, people may say things like, "There are no jobs out there -- especially now." Remember, you only need one job, and hiring happens all the time.
-- Stop. This is a process that takes preparation, persistence, patience and courage. Keep at it.
-- Expect instantaneous results. Most job seekers find that they have to lay the foundation before very much happens. So it might feel as if you're working really hard without any results, but very often this changes quickly.
Enjoy the holidays. Celebrate and network -- and do what others fail to do!
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