How Do You Toot Your Own Horn?

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How do you toot your own horn without looking stupid to the higher-ups?

Jim was given a lateral, but 'cushier' position. Just before Jim was to take over said position his boss' boss, Fred, calls Jim into his office and says he's given the position to Peter, who was the other candidate for the job.

Fred explains to Jim that he, Jim, was 'the person' for the job, because he was more mature than Peter, more dependable, stayed until the job was done, etc. Many kudos were given. The problem was that Fred had promised Peter certain hours for two years (probably during one of their nights out on the town) and giving Jim the position would cause Peter to have to work a different shift, thus taking away Peter's promised hours. Fred asked if Jim had anything to say. Jim said, "There's nothing to say," and walked out. He probably did the right thing because Jim was pretty mad about the whole thing and may have said something he'd regret if he'd said anything. I have the feeling Fred thought Jim should have put up a fight, but I'm not sure. I don't know what Fred expected of Jim.

OK, a little history. Peter whines about hours given. Jim doesn't. Peter has made some screw ups. Jim hasn't. Peter pushes work onto others and finagles things around to make others do the dirty work and work less than pleasant shifts. Jim doesn't. When Peter's finagling catches up with him, he tries to turn things back around the way they used to be. Peter parties with the bosses, Jim goes home to his family.

Jim tries to make his employees happy if it is at all possible and if it doesn't cost the company extra money. He's all for keeping good morale among his employees. Fred sees this as a weak spot with Jim. Now keep in mind that Jim has been praised for a great job and gets the highest raises. Jim's immediate boss is a 'manage by intimidation' kind of guy, so he probably goes and whines about this to Fred, saying that Jim is too soft. Which isn't the case. If Jim sees a problem, he deals with it. Jim is just fair. A boss anyone would love to have.

Anyway, the thing is, one of the bosses about three levels up knew that the cushy job was to be decided between Jim and Peter. Well, it looks bad for Jim because, ultimately, Peter got the position. Boss level three doesn't know the politics that have been played.

So Peter, now in the cushy position, comes to Jim and gets Jim's advice on how to save the company a substantial amount of money. They implement two things, one of which was Jim's idea. Fred mentions the changes to Jim and Jim toots his own horn and makes sure that Fred is aware that it was his, Jim's, idea for one of the implementations. Fred said that he was aware.

OK, the BIG BOSS over the 'whole' district is talking with Fred and Jim. Peter walks up and Fred introduces him to the BIG BOSS and explains that he is responsible for the implementation that saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Jim didn't say anything and waited to see if Peter would give credit where credit was due to Jim for having come up with one of the ideas. Not a word. Fred didn't give Jim any credit either.

Jim didn't say anything. I don't know why, exactly. Maybe he couldn't think of something to say without sounding needy or stupid. I told him I would have said, "Yeah and I get credit for $ of it!" But I don't know. That may not have been the right thing to say.

Peter and Jim are always up against each other for other positions. Peter is a player and Jim just isn't. I hate to see Jim get passed over for promotions just because he's not a good 'ole boy. And I don't know how he should go about being more aggressive. I think it is a political thing and that Fred just likes Peter better than he does Jim.

What advice should I give Jim? I'm not in the position he is in and it's really easy to give advice when you're not 'there' and when you're the spouse. What advice would be realistic?

How do you see this situation? I'm hoping some of you are bosses and can give me your perception of Jim and what Jim should do. Please be honest. And I hope all this makes sense.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

Answers

Sounds like Fred (the immediate boss) is going to give Peter the credit no matter what. Jim might actually damage his job security if he started trying to muscle Peter aside. If there's no hope of a lateral transfer to a new department, is Jim aware of monster.com? There's a lot of people looking for competent help these days.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

Thanks Tom for the advice. I really appreciate it.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

I read somewhere that if a company (boss, anyone making decisions) knows "Jim, Grace, etc" is a dependable person who won't leave if passed up for a promotion, the company will exploit that loyalty. Sad to say, but it isn't about what you know, but who you know.

As I see it, Jim has two options. 1) Quit & Look for another job or 2) Wait until the management guys Peter hangs out with *grow up* a little (they are in their mid-20's - at the most early 30's, no?). When those management guys grow up, realize it isn't fashionable (or necessary) to spend all their time with co-workers, then Jim's penchant for loyalty, honesty, and ability will pay off.

-- Anonymous, April 28, 2000


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