Stalking the Silverback?

[gingicat]

Did you know that Roxane Gay has a Work Friend column in the NY Times? I discovered this entirely by accident. And of course there's more than more WTF.

Ready to Climb

I joined my organization at a supervisory level a couple of years ago. My boss, the executive director, will retire in the next two to three years. For the first time, I am ambitious, and I want his job. I’m ready, and I’d be good at it. I get excellent reviews, I have good ideas and energy, and I have good relationships. But I feel inadequate in ways that feel significant. Our workplace is relatively formal, and the executives have been older, wealthy, white men who wear suits and ties, and are poised and strong public speakers. In comparison, I feel kind of goofy. I’m an anxious public speaker, and because this is the first well-paying job of my career, my wardrobe has a long way to catch up. How do I address or overcome these insecurities? And do I tell my boss I want his job? I still have lots to learn from him, and I don’t want to seem like I’m pushing him out the door. But I want his support, if he’ll give it to me, to move up when he leaves.

— Anonymous, California

Slow down there, friend. I love your ambition and your confidence. And the things you’re insecure about can be addressed. Build your wardrobe, as your budget allows, by selecting timeless, well-made pieces. It’s better to spend more on one or two good suits than less on several cheap suits or ensembles.

Public speaking is terrifying. I still struggle with it, too. But there are classes you can take. The internet has all kinds of advice on overcoming this anxiety. If you’re particularly motivated, put yourself in professional situations where you have to speak. Because in addition to whatever training you might try, practice really will help you improve those skills.

As for advancement, telling your boss you want his job would probably be seen as aggression, at best. It could create unnecessary friction in what seems like a good professional situation. I suggest telling your boss that you’re interested in advancing in the organization, when there’s an organic opportunity, and ask him to mentor you so you can be prepared to thrive when the time comes. It’s a more subtle way of letting him know you want to move up without meeting him at high noon for a duel.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

Oh cool! I like this advice, and now I have someplace to take my work related questions.

[likeaduck]

Sure. Or that you're interested in advancing in the field, if the org is small enough that the above would mean basically saying you want his job. AND: You're not entitled to his job, so broaden your possibilities: What are comparable or intermediate jobs at other orgs that you might be interested in? If your org is smaller so there's no level between supervisor and ED, are there larger orgs in your field that have manager or director levels in between that might be a stepping stone for you? Smaller orgs where the ED role is less of a jump? Places with different cultures or tones that you might want to learn from? Other role models in your field, or other people you'd like to reach out to for mentorship? Who are the other people in your org who are potentially concerned about their advancement? Can you support each other? Do they have less institutional privilege than you? What about your org's culture is keeping rich old white men in charge, and what would have to shift at your org to meaningfully change that, so that leadership can look like more that that, and not just stretch as far as you? (Given no other ID markers mentioned, I'm assuming middle-class younger white man? So the other things might come with time and an ED role, and then what's actually changed about who's always in charge?)

[cereta]

I feel like there are ways to say, "I would be interested in filling your position when you retire" in ways that are not an act of aggression. Like, the way I just phrased it, with perhaps a request of mentorship? LW is not saying they want the job now, so I'm not seeing how that's aggressive.

[conuly]

Roxanne Gay writes Work Friend now, but I've been reading it a year and it seems that they plan to have a new columnist every few months - they've already been through three or four.