Employer keeps moving goalposts

[Backtoworkk]

I think I'm BU but can't help but to feel annoyed. So last year I got promoted, the idea is that I will lead my own division after a series of "internships" within other departments. The idea behind this is that I need to learn about them as I will have the same departments /same type of direct reports under my division. The original plan is that it would take me a while year to do so. I've been moved to my next "internship" as of next Monday. I mean I'm glad it's happening that quickly but I don't think I learned what I was supposed to... AIBU?

You don't sound very confident. And your post is very unclear. How many divisions. How long have you spent in the first division.

There's no division as of yet. I would lead the first division of it's type (and probably only one).

There's departments and I've only spent three weeks in the first of three departments. Although it looks like I'll be staying in the second department until there's enough growth so to speak.

Well, to be fair your employer has only moved the goalposts once. And for a sound business reason.

If I were you, I'd agree some objectives for your time in the current division, while simultaneously sketching out what you envisage 'your' division to look like, how that can be achieved and the business benefits.

Show off your skills and ambition as well as your commitment to learning and developing.

When I asked of the original plan was still more or less the plan (as in the end result) I was told to not get too fixated on it. Oh well!

If you are going to be leading a team, you have to be more proactive and reflective in how you approach this ‘research’ phase of creating the department. What are the key things you need to know about each department? What are the things you’re already strong on vs areas you’re less sure about? How will you evaluate the things you’ve learnt from the time spent in each department, and how will this feed back into the planning for the new department? Once you’ve worked all this out then i would ask for a meeting to discuss what the plan is going forward and to check that your expectations and theirs all match up.

Asking people on here what they think about it rather than tackling it with work makes it seem like you lack confidence and initiative - which can’t be the case, since you’ve been chosen to build a new department from the ground up. Do you sometimes feel like you have impostor syndrome?

No, quite the opposite I think I'm awesome and being wasted (so to speak!)

You see this "role/department" was promised like 15 months ago and then went on ML. Theoretically I was coming back to said role. (At this point I still had no idea what exactly it entailed).

Came back, business needs were in a different department. I was eventually moved/promoted. My then line manager had a broad idea of what was happening but he didn't have much of a clue. I asked for clarification and got it, I was thrilled!

But now they've changed it again. The CEO keeps saying it's all in flux. The saving grace of all of this is that I still report to the CEO, something very few do.

Hahah ok

It’s just that it wasn’t immediately clear to me or various other pps what your actual issue is, so idk if that necessarily makes you ‘awesome’ at communicating, but maybe it’s not a role where you need to be good at that.

It not really that, is that it's A LOT of context (IMO) so try to use shortcuts in communication.

But yes, I'm a tad annoyed about the lack of clarity from the CEO and when questioned being told that it is what it is and that tomorrow it might be something else.

That doesn’t sound good. Being expected to create and succeed at something with such a nebulous ever changing brief would stress anyone out no end. Yanbu to demand clarity from them at all.

Thanks @MadameButterface I feel redeemed! I wouldn't say I'm being "mistreated" but definitely feels like carrot dangling.

It’s a bit suss that this has happened after a period of maternity leave as well. Do you feel like there could be an element of that? I’d start gathering a paper trail of targets you’ve been given, and how you’re meeting them.

There's never been any goals . It's always been about me taking over of the whole division but obviously I don't have enough hours/time to do it all. That's why eventually I'll have my own team.