Dangerous Assumptions of Unsuccessful Careers | LSW#50
Don't fall for these
Hey! It’s Sheril from Leading Sapiens. Welcome to my newsletter, where I share strategies for getting savvier at the game of work.
Today’s edition is short; designed more for reflection than prescription. I've seen too many fall for these logical sounding traps, from newbies to the pros. In fact, the more successful and competent you are, the more likely you’ll fall for them. Stay alert.
Previous editions ICYMI:
Before jumping in, here’s what I recommend:
Go through each of these assumptions.
Note the ones you’ve fallen for.
Consider why you fall for it? What are your underlying reasons and assumptions?
How can you change it? If you don’t think it’s worth changing, why is that so?
Lastly, which one would you like to learn more about? Reply and let me know. Here we go.
Dangerous Assumptions of Unsuccessful Careers
1. That performance and promotions are correlated.
⮑ Promotability is an entirely different beast compared to your KPIs. Performance gets you in the conversation. But not necessarily win it.
Related: Implicit Leadership Theories
2. That promotions are in fact a gauge of your career.
⮑ There are many ways to stay engaged in the game and make an impact other than simply promotions.
3. That all politics is wrong or bad.
⮑ Wherever there are human beings, there will be politics. It doesn’t have to be dirty, but you do need to be aware.
Related: Donkey, fox, sheep, owl
4. That a well-functioning workplace is the norm.
⮑ Most places are. But they also have their fair share of "absurdities". You’re getting paid to fix it, or work in spite of it.
5. That your intelligence will win the day.
⮑ IQ is only one part of the equation. OQ — organizational quotient — is the other important bit.
Related: Why most high-functioning folks probably don’t need any more EQ (emotional intelligence).
6. That the world should be fair.
⮑ Not always. Assuming and hoping that it is, or ranting that it is not, is a loser’s game.
Related: Fallacies about leadership
7. That relationships don’t matter in the workplace.
⮑ The workplace is made to look logical, but its backbone is human decision-making. Logic comes second.
Related: Why performance reviews are biased
8. That decision making is logical.
⮑ It mostly is, but not always. Your job is to stack as many factors in your favor.
Related: How we jump to conclusions
9. That you can pick and choose when and what to give your best.
⮑ It’s always showtime. Including that boring meeting you hate.
10. That power lies in the folks sitting further up.
⮑ This is how we disempower ourselves. The very notion of empowerment has disempowerment built into it.
11. That your managers and execs know what they’re doing.
⮑ They do (mostly). But they also don’t know a lot. That’s where you come in.
Related: The iPhone was once a dumb idea.
That does it for this edition. If you found this valuable, please like and share. It makes my day, and helps other folks to find this publication. See you next week!