You Didn’t Get That Promotion

Now What?!?  First off, it’s perfectly normal to get in your feelings when you experience failure.  It’s a part of life that we all encounter, it is the failure that sharpens our senses to learn, and it is what shapes us.  The question is, what shape?

Recently the US Air Force had to make adjustments to its junior enlisted promotion rates in order to shift the forces end strength.  For example, this year the Staff Sergeant promotion rate were 15% lower than last year, marking it the lowest that we’ve seen in 20 years.  This left many questioning what happened with the promotion rates and if the Air Force was going to be the right career for them.  Social media had a flurry of rants ridiculing the promotion system and challenging how this would impact talent management within the Air Force.  

As someone who took four times to make E-6, I know the bitter taste of rejection and at times thinking, “what’s the point”.  The reality is; all of the things people may have said on social media or at the water cooler, might be true; the promotion system could be out of wack, retention rates might fall or…that it’s not fair.  All of those things have one thing in common—you don’t control any of them.  Albeit, their are times when we can express concerns to suggest ways to improve a process but even then, that’s not getting at the root of why you didn’t get promoted.  

The path forward starts with an honest reflection of where you could improve.  Some tools that you could leverage:

• Honest feedback- Don’t settle for the ol’ “you’re doing great” bit. I can’t speak highly enough about getting a 360 assessment done. The assessment allows your superiors, peers & subordinates to all take shots on your leadership and emotional intelligence abilities. Some of the feedback might be a gut punch, but getting better isn’t easy.

• Priorities- Establish your priorities throughout the year and build a roadmap to what your success look like. Reflect on the roadmap frequently to highlight shortfalls and wins!

• Surround yourself around Champions- One of the golden rules in any competitive sport is to compete/play with folks that are better than you. This a real game changer that puts you in a position to learn from those that have done it. Not to mention, you’ll build a great network while you’re at it.

• Mental Fortitude- Admittedly, this is difficult to sustain. Overwhelming doubt will attack your thoughts, you’ll second guess yourself and your purpose. But, hold the line! Use those mentors & coaches to talk it out and double down on your values & priorities to guide you through the storms.

I saw a stat somewhere that said we fail about 80% more than we succeed.  Thinking about it, that seems fairly accurate to my experiences.  But looking back, I’ve become fond of those failures that have propelled me into action.  Those failures allowed to me look within and to focus on the things I can control.  It has framed a perspective that failure is inevitable as long as I’m trying to be my best and that makes the bitter taste just a little bit sweeter.