As you might guess from the fact that I'm "Miss Opportunity" that I am a business woman. At one point in my life, I thought I was on the fast track to success at my Fortune 500 company. But little did I know that I would hit a speed bump. You'll notice that I didn't say I hit the glass ceiling. (Heck, I'm not that close to the top to infer that I might be near the ceiling!).
A lot changed when I became part of a dynamic working team. I truly cared about the people that I was working with and the supervisor for whom I was working. The job itself was challenging and the environment was stimulating. I got caught up in doing a good job and lost sight of playing the career chess game - moving from job to job every two years. Rather than focusing what I was going to do next, I continued to love my work and those around me. I knew the people I worked with pretty well and I got excited hearing about their families, what they did on vacation and I grieved when a loved one left. To me, this was personal fulfillment.
But little did I know that the View from Corporate America was more interested in career chess than they were about my personal fulfillment. Apparently I didn't read the rules as I didn't know I was supposed to tell everyone how great I was and what a good job I was doing. Strangely, I thought the work would speak for itself. Oops, there goes a pawn.
I had spent six years in one position. Because it was eBusiness, I was learning new skills on almost a daily basis. I was viewed as an expert in my space. I had the most seniority in this department and it felt good to be the go-to person. But I didn't realize that I made another critical error in the career chess match. I stayed in one place too long. My focus was on achieving goals and not on tooting my own horn. While others moved onto new jobs, I stayed and was committed to making our strategy work. It did, but nobody knew. After all, I was waiting for someone else to notice.
I've learned a critical lesson in career chess. There's a fine line between being a queen and getting rooked. You've got to do a good enough job that you have something to talk about but don't do too good or take on too much because you won't have time to market yourself for the next position on the board. Honestly, corporate life is all one big game!
What's your view on the corporate chess game?
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3 comments:
I enjoyed your entry about the "career chess match" and I wanted to comment from a different perspective. You see, I didn’t suffer so much from not playing as I did from my husband playing it too well.
Let me explain. I also worked for a large corporation that fits the description of where you work to a T. I had been there about 10 years when I met, fell in love with and married a newcomer who was on the fast track.
When he became an expat and we were moved to work in Europe, I was told by a director in human resources that “We’re not going to pay you very much because your husband already makes a good wage”. Shortly after that, when my husband took an opportunity with another company back in the US, the vice president of HR “teased” me with something like “I know your husband won’t be taking any of our good talent with him because he wouldn’t want to damage your career … ha ha ha … just a joke … blah, blah, blah”. Very funny.
Suddenly, I was on every over-achiever’s radar and not for the work I was doing, but, as an extension of my husband and as a symbol of him getting ahead.
The final blow, (having lived apart from my husband for the sake of our careers), when a vice president said something close to “You need to be with {your husband} and forget about working here.” Check mate.
It's too bad that it all has to be such a game! Thanks for sharing!
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