Worth applying for internal promotion? Pros and cons

[mydogisanidiot]

Advice would be very welcome.

A managerial/supervisory opportunity has come up in my department, a place I have worked for the last ten years. I love my job as it is, but I'm wondering whether to apply - I can do most of what's asked in the job description and feel ready to take on something a little more challenging. I could also really do with more money, and it would be quite a lot more than I get now.

My colleagues are all capable and experienced, and I get on with everyone, but a couple of them get prickly and defensive with managers when things don't go their way. One of them can be an epic sulker, one is always writing complaining emails to senior management and can be somewhat two-faced. We work for a local authority and have undergone huge cutbacks, and still have to find savings in future, so it's not surprising that people are feeling demoralised and defensive when jobs and departments are under threat.

Another has become a very good friend over the years, and we have supported each other through difficult times at work and in our personal lives. I'd have to step back from our friendship if I (or she) became manager.

The role would mean reporting to the senior manager who is extremely effective and hardworking, but who has a reputation for insensitivity and can be ruthless when staff aren't up to the job (finding ways to get rid of people who've taken lots of sick leave, for example, even when the job was the cause of the health problem)

If I went for the promotion, it would be a nightmare reporting to assertive manager and also trying to supervise these team mates, wouldn't it? I suspect that whoever becomes manager will be stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the other hand, opportunities for advancement come up very rarely, so it would be now or never.

Anyone done similar and regretted it, or were you glad you did it and it all worked out fine?

You sound very wise - aware of the pitfalls in advance. You are most likely to lose out on work friendships with people who can;t bear others to be promoted over them. But are those friendships worth having? If you manage well, decent team members would still like and respect you.

I'd go for it. You don't know how the future will work out. You may get promoted again and again and end up in a completely different sector. If you feel ready for the challange and could do with the money (provided they give you a proper saary increase not just a token one) then apply.

I have a general rule of never basing my career decisions on the people involved. Never take the decision to stay somewhere because you like the people. Don't leave simply because you don't like them. People leave and change.

At least apply, otherwise you don't have the choice, do you.

Re the difficult people, you're only seeing one side of them all, you don't know what it actually would be like to be dealing with them in the management position. Just because one person complains a lot, doesn't mean they don't have something to complain about, does it! Also, a reputation does not tell you all there is to know about someone. If you were working to this apparently ruthless manager, maybe you can temper his ruthlessness a bit if the issue of poor performance comes up with any of your staff.

I've recently taken the management role in my dept. The old manager moved to another dept and was very supportive of me getting the job. He did a hand over and one colleague he found particularly difficult to motivate - she says the right things but never delivers/see it through/uses initiative when something is difficult. Previous manager made comments that suggested she found similar with colleague.

Other complexity is colleague and I were in equal roles but she'd been there 5 years longer (although I have additional senior experience elsewhere). It was anticipated by previous manager and director that she would be tricky. Reality is, she's actually been really supportive and I've adapted a clear management style which I feel is supportive but very clear. She's not great at prioritising and I think she gets overwhelmed so I just make it clear x and y need to be completed today then anything else is a bonus. So far she's exceeding my expectations.

What I am saying is, you know colleagues well so can manage with that knowledge and actually don't know how others will respond to you. Go for it!

Thanks very much for your replies, all very positive so that's encouraging!
It won't do any harm to apply. I suspect tough manager has someone else in mind already but she seems to like and trust me in our dealings so far, so who knows?
My friend would be very supportive I'm sure. The others, well, as the pp said, personal feelings shouldn't come into work relationships.
I'd miss aspects of the job I'm doing now, as the new job would be much more office based. Also it's nice to put work behind me when I leave at the end of the day but otoh I am ready for something new now.

I had this train of thought recently before applying for the role up from mine, and I was just very open with my colleagues about wanting to apply and do the job.
They were all very supportive, and whilst I wouldn’t have based my final decision on their views, it was nice to have that support.

I got the role, and it’s seems like two people weren’t being very honest with their views, and have taken to complaining and spreading lies about me and my competency.
It is all the more annoying, as the ringleader will be going in a month or so to another store.

We had to have a frank chat with the entire team about rumours not being very professional, and if anybody had any queries that’s what we’re there to sort, but the same two have carried on, though people aren’t really listening as much now.

My point is that you can’t presict how people will act afterwards, and yes they may make your life difficult, but those sorts of people come and go, if you really want to do it and it’s sonething you feel passionately about, then go for it!

Good luck!

*predict

It is all the more annoying, as the ringleader will be going in a month or so to another store

Au contraire, Storm surely that's a result

Let's face it, talk is cheap. People can gossip, spread negativity, go around bad-mouthing all they like.

My outlook on life towards such people veers towards proving them wrong, being a resounding success, earning the respect of others, on the basis of the neysayers being 'sour grapes', whether I'm good, bad or indifferent!

Haha @daisychain01 usually I’d say so! However as he’ll still be in the company, he’s just trying to rile them up before he buggers off and then will call them to poke the bear. (not envy)

What a charmer he sounds Storm (not). Sounds like you have the support from people who matter a lot more than that loser.

I've done this, in fact I worked bloody hard, got extra qualifications whilst bringing up my children and working shitty hours. A promotion that was WAY out of my league came up in my team, I went for it for the experience and managed to bag it, I was upped by four grades and ended up not only managing my colleagues, but also my old team of managers!

It didn't go down well with the old managers, but actions speak louder and I made a lot of changes. It's been a while now and I got another promotion in the same team. I remained friends with a few people and had to quietly back away from a couple who thought they could get favours and phoned me up 'fishing' for stuff.

I have been told by my old colleagues that I am more respected because I did their job with them for years, know it inside out and made positive changes. Only the other week the proverbial shit hit the fan, I rolled my sleeves up and spent the day doing that old job to get the team back on track - no other senior manager has ever done that.

Let them judge you by your actions, but you will need a thick skin with some of them. Good luck.

^ I did then spend the next two evenings doing my own job to catch up though!

I would tend to agree with @Isleepinahedgefund, but caution that there’s a big difference between making a decision based on people and a decision based on culture. I have worked in teams where the ‘nasty’ one has left but it takes much longer to change a culture and if there is a general tone of not helping others, low level bitching and being unsupportive, that can continue long after the ringleaders are gone.

That said I would also apply for this. You never know what’s around the corner and dealing with the assertive manager will help build up your skills in a different area. In the event of cutbacks as well it’s wise to keep upskilling - managerial experience may be more transferable to a different sector if the proverbial shit hits the fan?