Give or Take

Ever been in that position where an opportunity is given and then taken away just as quickly?

You are surprised to be included, puffing up with pride at the thought of the involvement you will have in this project, perhaps even as the lead....and what happens?  The opportunity dissolves right before your eyes for any multitude of reasons - lack of funding, change in priorities, a more seasoned employee is on the team.

What do you do?

...find a way to duplicate the opportunity

....run through it as if you were still in motion so that you can test out your planning and organizational skills

...discuss and see if it can be modified to a smaller version or a test/pilot - this will show your initiative along with your flexibility

...always say thank you for the opportunity and consideration - both mean a lot.

Dance Puppets, Dance!

Do you know this character?

This is the leader who thinks they know everything! Ever met one of those?

This is the leader who micro-manages.

This is the leader who does not allow people to do their job, changing priorities along the way.

This is the leader who needs to have access to your Outlook calendar to know what you are doing every minute of the day.

This is the leader who is insecure in their role.

This is the leader who believes they influence because of their title, not how they lead.

This is the leader who is not a leader but a manager (and not a good one at that!)

What to do?  Meet with them and ask what the concerns are about your work.  Explain that you are feeling micro-managed.  This may help the leader realize what they are doing.  Micro-managing is a trait of new leaders who are learning to juggle all the new responsibility they have - help them out by pointing it out.