To steal someones job

[thejobsnatcher]

Thread title for views, but some truth in it!
I'm an ambitious retail director; good at what I do, and my stores outperform all others in the business.
Another retail director is also good at their job, not madly ambitious or creative but gets the job done. They have a store that I want. It's a big one, has huge potential, isn't being marketed particularly well, and could be much more profitable.
I think the board would prefer I have this store as I am frequently asked for my views on big decisions about it and strategic questions I ask trigger wider meetings and activity.
I have a yearly review coming up and I want to ask for the store. It would challenge, excite and motivate me, and open up a pathway to a bigger salary. I know the business values me and I could probably 'demand' it to stay. The other RD would not be demoted or lose salary or potential earnings but would lose team members and would need to backfill projects/stores from my side, and generally, it would be quite humiliating (probably too strong a word but you get the idea).
It feels a bit cut throat. I'm not immediately comfortable with the idea of hurting this person and also giving the board this massive headache. What would you do? And how should I approach it?

It would be shitty.
end of.
depends if you feel comfy with that

I’m a GC at a multinational, so have a lot of visibility over these types of decisions globally.

very very few people get new opportunities because they are proactively offered.

there is little upside for a business rocking the boat by shifting an element of the business that is performing to someone else. Especially if it’s not clear that the someone else is hungry for it and it’ll likely drive out the existing manager.

If you want it, you have to ask along with having a clear proposal around how you would make it successful and a suggestion for what happens to existing director in your pocket.

As long as you're as confident as you can be the other woman won't be sacked or lose significant money, then fine.

If she's not doing a particularly great job she'll be replaced at some point so it may as well be you.

Don't say you want her job though - that's not appealing. Say you have X, Y, Z ideas for the store, and if they are receptive have A, B, C ideas up your sleeve about how you could become part of the team running that store.

If it does happen pay it forward though - work with your managers to carve out a role for her that plays to her strengths. She may not be as ambitious as you but she presumably has some drive so take on the responsibility that comes with power, and make sure she can be effective and you and everyone else treat that with respect. A new title perhaps.

As they're asking for your guidance...why not pitch for a yet to exist post on the board that oversees all the other stores and provides them with that help/guidance/action in maximising their performance that's lacking?

I definitely think you should be tilting at strategic head of retail.

I assume that was meant as an insult? Do you always insult people with a differing opinion than your own?

I honestly can’t imagine caring enough about about a company to be plotting and scheming like this, but two things come to mind - if your input about the other store is really so great why isn’t it performing better anyway? and if the board allow you to take the store then I’m sure they will take it from you at some point too. What goes around comes around. Also are you sure you are as indispensable as you think you are - if you threaten to leave unless you are given the other store, what if they call your bluff?

This! If they wanted you to have it, they would have given it to you already if you could do a better job.

A former colleague used to say this:

"people should really be careful who they tread on as they climb the greasy pole, they'll bump into them again on the way back down"

Seems relevant here maybe...

This

I absolutely would. You're putting forward a suggestion, your track record justifies the ask, it's up to the Board ultimately. It's business, not personal. I've taken on parts of other colleagues' portfolios that were underperforming, I'm sure they weren't happy but anyone at a senior level should be able to see the wider picture. It's just a lot of pressure to then see it through!

There are ways of doing it. Are there many stores in your area? You could say if there are any more challenging stores you'd appreciate being considered as manager.

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying in your review that you'd like a bigger store and share some of your thoughts on what you think you could put in place to drive up profits. Let it be known you are ready for a new challenge.

Personally I would not try and negotiate it so that the other person is pushed out of their job, however only you know whether your conscience would be troubled by such an action. Remember, people blab so it will be known what you have done.

Its potential is not being realised but its not underperforming

That doesn't make sense.

That doesn't make sense

Why not? I assume it means it's meeting baseline targets but could be higher performing in the OP's opinion?

Yes it does. It is meeting its targets but OP knows it could do better

I would do it but I would prepare the groundwork to spin it effectively so the narrative afterwards would be that I was open to new challenges and had suggested some options "were they to become available", then I stepped up when asked by the board.

Thanks for some really interesting replies. I think I know how to handle it now, and it's thanks to some of you. I appreciate it.

Just as an add on - the store is not just another store, its potential is a different offering - think Amazon check-out less stores/something new and innovative. I want it because it's where long term business growth is, and I want to be part of that.

I'm going to explore where the business/board sees my personal growth. The review is a two step process, so time to hear their thoughts before deciding on my own. As a wise PP alluded to; perhaps I might not be being as ambitious as I could be ;)

Thanks again.

True, but it's a mix

All the best

Hope you can come back and at least hint at how it all turns out!