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Original poster

Colleague promoted to senior manager

29 replies

Createausername1234 · 04/08/2025 09:07

Hello,

hope you are well.

It would be great to know if this scenario has happened at your place, said colleague(Y) has been with the company for 1.8 years.
I have been working for 3 years. Y is very approachable etc and so helped out my old manager to run weekly meetings etc. On a particular meeting after few weeks, at the beginning there was an announcement that Y is promoted to TL.
Fast forward, there was a message in the team chat group that there is an official role open for manager, if anyone would like to apply. I did not apply because I was sure that that post was probably to do with some legal requirements. A week later, promotions were announced and I got a 2 min call from my old manager that I will be reporting to Y.
Y is doing everything over team chat app(no problem with that which I think is to capture every conversation history) but I feel he is trying to prove his manager skill and coming across as very authoritarian.

I have totally lost motivation in my work. I tried applying for an internal role and it did not work out. Don’t think it’s the best time to be searching for a job. If we live within our means, I can quit and take a short career break which I am contemplating.
Is this normal procedure for promotions in the UK?
would you quit if you were me?
Thanks and have a lovely day.

OP posts:
Arewethebadguys · 04/08/2025 09:13

No idea why you're upset - you didn't apply for the job? You've described him as 'approachable' and have no issues with using the group chat. I don't understand your problem.

justanotherpassword · 04/08/2025 09:13

You didn’t apply for the role so I’m not sure what the problem is? Y stepped up and took on responsibilities above his pay grade, showed he was able and willing to help out.

Went for an interview and got the job.

What do you think should have happened?

LittleHangleton · 04/08/2025 09:15

Is this normal procedure for promotions in the UK?

Internal promotions are normal.

would you quit if you were me?

No.

Why are you considering quitting? Meant gently, but is this driven by envy and jealousy?

R0ckandHardPlace · 04/08/2025 09:17

What is the issue? Do you think that they should have asked begged you to apply because you’ve been there longer?

MsMimi87 · 04/08/2025 09:17

It is my absolute PET PEEVE when people at work don't apply for promotion and moan about those who did/who got the job!!

Taking away the long part at the front- your colleague applied for a role, you didn't, they got the role are now a manager and are acting like a manager? Actually trying to manage people? What's the AIBU?

dogcatkitten · 04/08/2025 09:19

If you don't apply for an advertised promotion you are definitely not going to get it. Next time apply the worst that can happen is you don't get it. A learning experience.

AlwaysNeverEver · 04/08/2025 09:19

Only leave when you get another job.

AlwaysNeverEver · 04/08/2025 09:20

You will probably adapt to the new person in time.

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 04/08/2025 09:20

Do you think Y got the promotion without applying? And the vacancy was advertised to hide that fact? Otherwise I'm not getting you Confused

Original poster
Createausername1234 · 04/08/2025 09:20

Y was already a TL for months, so I would not have been picked. I feel TL role should have been announced if anyone wanted to apply, I would have happily applied, the annoncement of Y as a TL was a real surprise for me.
The manager role felt like a tick in the box.

OP posts:
Ballardz · 04/08/2025 09:23

I’m also confused. He’s now a manager rather than a colleague so it’s normal for him to be more in charge than he was before. How is he being authoritative?

MsMimi87 · 04/08/2025 09:25

In a previous role the most senior manager went off sick, very serious and it would be long term. My peer group all just looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Noone took any initiative for the first couple of weeks there was no structure or plans in place and I was the most junior/newest manager there and I stepped up, hosted the meetings/morning briefings and became the go to person, I was then given the job title of "senior team manager" it was an interim role until old manager returned, there was no change in pay or contract, when manager returned he was redeployed and I applied for his role as advertised and got it,

Could the team lead position be to reflect the additional work and responsibilities they took on? Ultimately though anyone could apply for the manager role?

*edit spelling

Emotionalsupporthamster · 04/08/2025 09:27

It’s challenging to move into a role of managing people who were previously at the same level as you. He does need to put a boundary in place and establish a different working relationship. He might be overegging it, but it still sounds like it’s early days - he’ll likely gain confidence in his new role before too long. I’d keep my head down and get on with the job. Not sure what you mean by asking if this is normal procedure - do you think there has been something dodgy about his appointment?

LittleHangleton · 04/08/2025 09:27

Jobs and promotions don't need to be advertised, they can just be given.

HoppingPavlova · 04/08/2025 09:28

Is this normal procedure for promotions in the UK?

Yes, and in the rest of the world also I imagine!

Someone applied for a job and got it. That would be normal procedure. Not understanding how this is hard to understand?

would you quit if you were me?

Completely up to you, but I think you will face the same issue in the next job given you don’t have the basic understanding that people can apply for a role and be successful. Also, to be clear, if you don’t apply for a role you won’t get it. Because you didn’t apply in order to be considered.

PerkyGreenCat · 04/08/2025 09:28

Y put themselves forward for promotion by taking on additional responsibilities by helping out the old manager and by being approachable. You'd been working there longer than Y, so why didn't you do that? If you were keen and ambitious, why weren't you already having conversations with the old manager and asking what you could help out with to develop your skills and experience ready for when a role came up? You could have been doing that before Y even started working at your workplace.

It sounds like you sat back doing your usual job (nothing wrong with that). Y made it clear he wanted to develop and progress in the team... and did! You're still doing your usual job but now you're complaining that Y used his initiative and got a promotion whilst you didn't use your initiative and therefore didn't get a promotion.

BeltaLodaLife · 04/08/2025 09:33

You’re saying that you’ve lost motivation in your work because you weren’t considered for a promotion you never even applied for?

He stepped up, you didn’t. He got recognition, you didn’t. He then applied for a manager role, you didn’t. This isn’t about him; it’s about you doing the bare minimum (which is fine) but then being annoyed that you’re not progressing. If you want to progress then you need to put the effort in.

Now that you’ve lost motivation, it sounds like you’re not really doing your job properly? This new manager is having to really manage you. He is using a chat function so everything is recorded and he is having to manage you as you’re not “motivated.” What else can he do? He has to have some level of authoritarian behaviour over you if you’re not really giving much to your job.

It sounds like you just don’t want to be managed by him because you’ve been there longer so nothing he does would be right. Just do your job without him having to hold your hand.

TheAmusedQuail · 04/08/2025 09:37

Is the point that previously you enjoyed your job and liked working with Y. But that Y has changed since becoming a manager and this new authoritarian approach has led to you not enjoying your work now?

RawBloomers · 04/08/2025 09:46

Sometimes it's a matter of "if your face fits" and promotions go to the people who are culturally more in tune with the people making those decisions. But you do make it sound here like you've been really passive and want everything laid out for you, where as the new manager has been proactive, showing initiative and making himself look like management material.

Flyswats · 04/08/2025 10:07

Yeah this did happen to me many years ago. Basically it is confirmation that they value you less than the other person. I just started looking for a new job pretty much immediately and when I found one I really liked, I left.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 04/08/2025 10:33

@ Createausername1234

"Is this normal procedure for promotions in the UK?"

Yes, so what country are you from that doesn't do this ?

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 04/08/2025 10:41

Flyswats · 04/08/2025 10:07

Yeah this did happen to me many years ago. Basically it is confirmation that they value you less than the other person. I just started looking for a new job pretty much immediately and when I found one I really liked, I left.

They value you less, because you didn't get a job that you didn't apply for Confused
You have to put yourself forward, take on more responsibility, and be seen to be doing the job you want - that's how you get valued. How can you be valued if you're not applying for promotion/stepping up?

Darragon · 04/08/2025 11:16

Don’t think it’s the best time to be searching for a job. If we live within our means, I can quit and take a short career break which I am contemplating.

Everything else aside, what makes you think the job market will be any better after a short career break, and can you continue to fund yourself when you have to start the job search process from 0 at some point in the future, with a period of "doing nothing" on your CV to account for as well?

Flyswats · 04/08/2025 12:22

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 04/08/2025 10:41

They value you less, because you didn't get a job that you didn't apply for Confused
You have to put yourself forward, take on more responsibility, and be seen to be doing the job you want - that's how you get valued. How can you be valued if you're not applying for promotion/stepping up?

Show quote history

Actually in my case, my colleague was made a manager without having had to apply for the role, she was promoted as they expanded the dept.

So there was no notice, no application and no interview, just an announcement.

And just before it happened, they split our team over two different kinds of accounts - think theatre clients versus tv clients, so they could only promote her upwards anyway as she had one section and I had the other.

I'd love to know how I was supposed to "put myself forward and take on more responsibility" given these circumstances.

As it happens I moved to a different company and did very well there.

vivainsomnia · 04/08/2025 12:38

What do you mean by authoritative? Some managers are more micromanaging than others, that's just the way it is. You either adapt or look to move on.