Follow the Leader is for Kids
In 25 years of recruiting, I’ve heard many stories that don’t have happy endings. Face it, when things are going wrong at work, that’s when people need me. Recently, I recognized one recurring theme. It goes like this: My boss got a new job and asked me to go with him.
That’s it in one sentence. However, it’s in the details where things often go very wrong. There are multiple variations of the same song. The three I most frequently hear go as follows:
- The boss got a promotion when he changed jobs and he wanted to bring me in right away. He knew I was already at a certain level but he didn’t have any openings at that level. He asked me to accept a lesser job with lesser pay and said he’d promote me as soon as there was an opening. It’s been too long and nothing has changed.
- The boss was being groomed for a promotion and when he got it, he wanted me to take his place. Didn’t happen!
- The boss saw great potential in me. He wanted to bring me in at my current level and groom me for the next step. I don’t like the area but it should advance my career. I haven’t been advanced and my family is miserable (or didn’t move at all!)
Let me say this: the boss is probably a very nice person and has good intentions. HOWEVER, he’s just starting with a new company and needs to prove himself there. His priority is to impress HIS new boss and prove HIS value to the new company. When things get tight, he won’t buck the system to fight for you. It’s human nature.
I’m not saying that you should never follow your boss. I’m sure it can work out very well. However, you should only follow him if the position he’s offering you is equal to or better than your current position in every way. Don’t be taken in by lavish compliments! Don’t accept a pay cut! Don’t accept a demotion! And, don’t move somewhere you don’t want to go! It won’t end well.