Promotions - Can they ever be fair at all?

Just browsing, i found this blog that argues whether tenure/experience based rewards/promotions are fair and sustainable. Interesting one and it also got me thinking...so here comes a little from my experience -

To promote someone, there has to be the clichéd 'Business Need' (which is sometimes preferentially created in the face of a threat!) and there has to be the more clichéd 'Experience' (you have talked at length about this). And as rightly proposed, then comes the ‘Performance’ debate. It is only fair to say that in most cases, it takes more than performing well to be a good manager and be worthy of promotion.

Let me illustrate with an example of team in a software development firm -

I once had a colleague who realized that he was ‘Manager Material’ very early in his career. He tried to reach that goal by grabbing and sticking to managerial work and by sharing a lot of smokes with influential people. He was totally into networking and making contacts and sometimes into many of those initiatives that are just there for the sake of having some. Not to mention, he repelled all the regular work that the others of his level were doing.

He was an eye-sore to his team, but strangely, the management liked him! ( for doing their work?!) and promoted him. Here is what happened –

1.Everyone in the team felt cheated, they thought they were the ones doing the work, their performance measurement stats were good. But someone who was just fooling around gets promoted because he can just ‘act’ managerial. Fair? No.
Motivation levels of everyone spiraled down to the ditches.

2.The Manager Material thought that if he wanted to become a manager faster, he had to start behaving like one. Smart? Yes. But he totally ignored the fact he cannot be accepted as a manager unless he really earned it.

3.Management thought that they have found the right fit in our guy and according to them, they were setting a good example by promoting someone who takes initiative to network and do managerial tasks and think all is well with the world.

The Result?
It should be easy to guess what happens to this team with a delusional manager, members that lack motivation and big bosses who are oblivious to the micro team dynamics.

Although everyone started off with an agenda of their own, the big bosses failed to manage expectations in the following ways
1.They let the team believe that if one does well as a developer, he should be rewarded with a promotion to be a manager
2.In spite of point 1, they promoted someone who just wants to be a manager without being a developer at all.

Sounds not too far from ridiculous, but a lot of promotions happen this way!

Thankfully not all was wrong with the world -
I once met another guy in a client workshop who introduced himself like this – “I am from the ‘ABC’ team, we are a team of 8 developers currently working with XYZ client. I also have the additional responsibility of managing and sharing the status of our activities with the client”.
How clean is that!! He knew exactly what his place was and he didn’t think being a manager was any more glorified than being a developer. He treated it as additional responsibility and that is the attitude that people appreciate. The right attitude along with his expertise and the willingness to do what everyone in the team was doing made him the favorite in his team.

While experience and performance may denote all the good things, it should also be seen that it takes a real leader to be a good manager. The key is to find someone who is an expert in his job, but also has the natural instinct to lead a team. In most cases, such people (if you have them at all), come through as leaders who are well accepted by their teams, sometimes even nominated because the team believes that this person knows enough to get them through a tough situation.

I wish they made more of the second type than the first! :)

A Blessing, not just as little

These days, there is only one news coming from every direction, nahh...am not going to start cribbing about the economy here...it is another kind of news, a very good one at that...the coming of a new life into this world. I have been made an aunty several times this year (although i had a lot of resistance to the title, i dont mind it now). :-)

What is it that makes babies so special...my first thought about babies is the way they grab your finger with their tiny hands. Thats instant connection, probably the fastest between 2 humans, its like they demand friendship, love and care all at once, with just that one touch and you are on your knees and ready for the deal. If they can do this to a stranger, just in a few seconds, I cant imagine how much of a life changing experience it is for the parents.

It's nice fun deciding over the name, a whole bunch of heads searching for just the right one...philosophical names, funky names, trendy names, new names, grandpa names..what not...and in the end, a good bunch of kids grow up to realise what a strange name they have! and I find it especially entertaining to watch the family (distant cousins included) fight over looks, whose nose is it, whose hair, whose eye color, well almost anything...i remember, when i topped my class, i was my dad's daughter..and when i asked for something relentlessly and almost close to being pestering,i was mom's. :D

I know being parents is a blessing, but its not an easy one. Despite their sweet innocent face, babies make you wonder in disappointment, about their stubborn resistance to give up their jetlag, sometimes lasting several months. No matter where and what time they are born, they always manage sleeping during the day and crying for attention in the night. Sorry Mommy....its not nice but you gotta have it! :)

I have been hearing this and several such stories these days, from new mommies who are friends and relatives, all of them excited, some nervous and a few of them sometimes complaining....but without doubt, all of them ever so thankful for the gift they have got. Congratulations and Good luck ladies !!