In Spring of 2021, I got rejected for a promotion I thought I had a good chance at.
I’d even gone all Jerry Maguire on preparation, writing a 20 page strategic plan and vision statement for my sales team. I’d gotten back in shape after almost surrendering my health forever and I was feeling pretty dang confident.
Then came that phone call.
The one where they tell you, “Thank you time and for sharing your experience, but we’re going with another candidate.”
“Another candidate” that’s about to be my new boss. To add insult to injury, I was asked to share that vision statement with the incoming manager to help them get acquainted with the team dynamics. It took all I had to resist telling them to fuck off.
Truth be told, I hated it. It burned me up and I was salty AF.
But then something happened that’s changed everything since. Instead of being a little bitch and wallowing in self-pity for the next couple years like usual, I decided to do something about it. I got to work.
I set a meeting with my VP to discuss my failed candidacy.
During the call, I told him I appreciated the chance to interview. I went on to say that while I wasn’t ecstatic about sharing my strategic plan, I would do so. At the end of the day, I wanted what was best for the team.
And finally, I told him you wouldn’t have to worry about any “poopie pants” attitude from me.
The next time we talked, six months later, he was promoting me to the job I had wanted all along.
Life is funny that way.
The moral of the story? Never mind the poopie pants and keep moving forward.
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