Climbing a level higher

Promotion has become a culture, a “promo” culture, where each aspiring candidates muscles to impress and showcase the management. Those who execute the game plan with due diligence and confidence will be rewarded. Those who are denied with promotion will be devastated and makes imminent decisions (like quitting the organisation, acting rebel, antagonizing the management etc). Organizations apply strategies while promoting a person to next level, promotions is just a mere designation whereas monetary benefits are minimal in most cases with increased responsibilities. In IT (or any field), promotion plays a key role in organizing the community (hierarchy) of people associated with this industry.

Let’s invest some time exploring about the certain aspects/elements of promotion in IT culture.

Impediments in promotion:

- “Expectations not met”, a highly fabricated terminology. A person who is “inefficient”, degrading performance, recurring issues etc falls under this category. (Based on facts).

- Feud or spats with supervisors or managers, engaging in logomachy on petty things, undermines the fact that the resource is highly productive.

- Neither visible nor interactive to the team. Lacking energy.

- Flaks or issues with client team.

- Raise demands like “promotion”, “onshore”, “roll off” etc,

- Browbeating the peers with resignation or other plausible causes.

- Not adhering to company policies like violation of security, sharing confidential information’s etc

- Not participating in activities outside the team like cultural events, outings etc.

Ingredients for promotion:

- “Flattery”, “buttering”, kneel down on knees..Etc. a major guideline for the promotion.

- “Exceeded expectation”, a person who has proved highly efficient, conducive, smarter and proactive.

- A good mentor, invigorating the team with new ideas and learning’s.

- Talk a lot, followed by a gush of flattery.

- Give a blind naked smile or nod for all the blunders popping out of the peers.

- Never say “NO” to peers.

- Never ask “Roll off”.

- Lenience to opposite sex, especially women candidates have higher advantage.

- Involve and participate in activities outside team.

Let’s contemplate the impacts/symptoms before and after in a promo culture.

Before:

- Commute in local BMTC (Karnataka) bus.

- Fag Gold flake or booze old monk (pertaining to any local brands).

- Schmooze with those who are being denied from promotion for a long time.

- Hide from people who are already promoted belonging to same group.

- Disturbed, disappointed, disillusioned, dejected. Clouded with anger and hopes vanished.

- Work really hard but without interest or spirit, with increased delirium.

- Keep away from beloveds, friends and family.

After:

- Commute in expensive hi-tech Volvo bus.

- Fag Dunhill or booze Jack Daniels (pertaining to standard brands).

- Interact with high end folks, peers or same genre.

- Usage of highly concise IT verbiage. Talk out of the box and work less

- Expertise in delegating tasks to team.

- Excel in excel sheets.

- Effluence in synergy, multi-tasking and thirst for activities

- Hanging out with friends and family, frequent travels.

The purpose of promotion is being defeated these days, the deserved are denied and management is corrupted. Promo culture is highly complicated, but it’s not a rocket science to embrace. It’s a reality, face it and prove it. But when we become a peer, make sure to reward those who deserves unbiased. Learn and acknowledge mistakes. Appreciate the team and encourage the team, be a part in ups and downs of the team. Be a good Team player.

Well, I am a casualty of “promo” phobia!!!