Why Am I Being Passed Over For Promotions?

" Many of us spend half our time wishing for things we could have if we didn't spend half our time wishing."
Alexander Woollcott

Most of us like to feel appreciated in our jobs and proud of our careers. But sometimes we hit a wall or a glass ceiling, and it seems as if nothing we do can change the situation - except suffer in silence, or go to another company.

The new job might seem like the best option, but it can also be a great deal more work. You will need to prove yourself all over again. You will also need to navigate successfully through a whole new set of relationships.

Are You Being Sabotaged by Others?

It is possible that others are sabotaging you because they want to get promoted themselves. Or your manager might want to keep you exactly where you are because you make the department so much more productive. They might see putting you in a managerial role as less important than you continuing to crank out projects at the speed of light.

Are You Sabotaging Yourself?

But there might be some things about yourself that are worth taking a look at and trying to change if you are showing any of them at work. In a recent survey of human resource managers, here were their top reasons for not wishing to promote a person:

* A negative or pessimistic attitude versus a can-do attitude
* Frequent lateness
* Using foul language
* Often leaving work early
* Taking too many sick days
* Gossiping around the office
* Spending office time on social media sites
* Not cleaning up after themselves but expecting others to do it
* Constantly talking about non-work topics in the office, such as sports
* Taking too many personal phone calls at work
* Taking too many or too long breaks
* Taking too many smoking breaks

If you know you are guilty of any of the items on this list, now is the time to nip these habits in the bud.

Are You Too Much of a People Pleaser?

But do not make the mistake of swinging to the other end of the spectrum and becoming a "people pleaser," otherwise known as a "yes man." This will not gain you any respect either, except possibly from a manager who thinks even their most half-baked idea is a stroke of genius.

It is possible to be positive and upbeat while also telling the truth and giving valuable feedback as needed. You might need to work on your confidence and perhaps even assertiveness so you are not so shy in meetings, but will speak up and have something worth paying attention to.

Are You Too Arrogant?

We've all heard the phrase, "There's no such thing as a stupid question." Yet many of us roll our eyes in disbelief at the "dumb" questions they think they hear at meetings, conferences and so on. Some of these questions will of course be the person opening their mouth trying to impress others with what they know. They might even totally disagree with the speaker and try to hijack the meeting. Needless to say, this is rude and very unprofessional.

However, most questions that are asked out loud in a public situation are asked because the person genuinely does not know the answer and wants to find out. Therefore, be respectful of all contributions no matter how trivial, in the same way that you would wish your questions to be treated.

Be approachable to all staff and they will soon ask you for help, which will put you on the radar as a person with leadership potential who is worth promoting.