Q: Sarah held a higher position and when she left I took on her responsibilities. It was supposed to be temporary but I have been doing the extra work for 5 months without compensation or a promotion. My boss tells me to be patient. Should I be?
A: It sounds like you are a respected team player and that you said “yes” to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. I hope your manager has provided positive feedback to you not only for taking on the additional responsibility but also for exceeded expectations by accomplishing both your job and Sarah’s. If you have been sitting in the job for 5 months without feedback—wake up! Get a grip on it and schedule a meeting.
Before you meet with your manager, be clear about what you want:
- Do you want Sarah’s job?
- Do you want to be compensated for additional responsibility?
- Or, do you want to be promoted to the next level?
Make a list of your accomplishments that describes the observable outcomes related to your new responsibilities and review with your boss. Ask:
- If you had to rate my performance to date, what would it be?
- Regarding my performance, what feedback have you received from clients? Colleagues?
Be clear about your expectations—talk it over with a mentor or senior advocate before meeting with your manager. If your goal is to be promoted, perhaps your boss’s advice to “be patient” makes sense. However, you need to get a “yes or no” answer on:
- Whether Sarah’s job is going to filled and when.
- Whether your manager considers you a viable candidate for the role, if you choose to pursue it.
However, don’t make the mistake of defining your future as having Sarah’s position. Maybe her role isn’t going to be backfilled. Keep your options open by stating that your goal is to be promoted this year (or whatever is appropriate given your talent development cycle) and ask:
- What advice do you have regarding the promotion process?
- Any gaps in my performance? Style? Expectations?
- Am I currently performing at “director” level?
- Will my compensation be made whole with promotion or should we address
compensation separately?
Be patient, but don’t be stupid and stop communicating. OK? Be clear about your goals, timeframe and keep the conversation with your manager timely, transparent and focused.