Imagine you get a letter from your boss notifying you of management’s decision to temporarily redeploy you to a position that’s about 2 steps below your current management grade? If you’re like most people, you’ll most probably interprete such a career move as a demotion. This article presents a different perspective that you can adopt to achieve noteworthy career success.

Beware: Career Advancement Opportunies Can Come Your Way Disguised As Setbacks

Many people tend to measure progress only in terms of increases, positives, forward motion, upward movement and so on.

There is however a saying that sometimes one has to go backwards in order to move forward.

With regard to the seeming demotion highlighted above therefore, things may not always be what they seem.

Especially in companies that understand how to develop employees’ talents by deliberately exposing them to competence building on-the-job experiences.

Your company could plan such a temporary move for you into a lower position, if it believes gaining hands-on experience there will help you acquire knowledge, skills, information and insights that would make you more productive at a higher decision making level.

Certain Jobs Require Indepth Understanding of The Processes involved In Other Jobs

One example: To effectively manage the packaging department in a manufacuring company, a Factory Manager will often need to be familar with the procedures and processes carried out in, say the “Product Storage and Distribution” section for instance. Without this, her planning and decision making could end up being faulty, with costly consequences.

Let’s say you’re already on a grade senior to the Distribution Manager’s but below the Factory Manager’s.

If management has plans to make you the next Factory
Manager, and they feel you do not know enough about the Distribution section, that could make them decide to send you there as acting Distribution Manager, so you can gain needed hands on experience.

The company management may however not let you know their reasons or plans. And that would be normal.

What You Need To Do

Like I’ve said in past articles, except you’re convinced that the decision makers are not sincere, you are better off always giving your best performance at work, regardless of how you feel about a particular deployment or appointment.

Most times the interests of the organisation will be put first, and that could require your seeming “demotion” to get you to be more competent to take on bigger roles or higher responsibilities.

All you need do is maintain a positive mindset, and do any job you’re given as best as you can. Note that each time you successfully complete an assignment, it will mean you’ve become more competent than you were before.

In the long run, you’re likely to reap useful rewards in form of valuable career advancement opportunities that are likely to come your way.