The Downside of Promotions

Part of the problem with rising through the ranks of the corporate ladder is that you have to start acting the part.  I try and make it a point to be a model employee now.  For example, I keep very regular hours.  While I realize that a lot of people do this, it is not the norm in technology.  At almost every technology company, hours are relatively flexible.  People come in late or leave early; sometimes employees do both!

However, now that I am a director at my company, I do not really have the same luxury.  It just would not be OK to keep odd hours when others look to you as the model.  For the last 8 years, I have had the luxury of rolling in at ten o'clock if I had a late night.  This is no longer the case and it can be hard to adjust to.  Further, I force myself to stay somewhat more aloof.  In most technology companies, there is usually some sort of amusement around.  Maybe there is a TV, a video game system, or a foosball table.  Being the competitive person I am, I would normally take part but I have drastically scaled this back.  I have done this for a numbre of reasons.  Part of it is that I have too much work now and do not honestly have the time.  Some of it is that I do not want to give others excuses to goof off.  And still further, and perhaps the saddest is all, is that it is important not to become too chummy with the people who work for you.

That does not mean I am not friendly with my staff.  It just means that I have to be very careful about it looking like I play any sort of favorites.  Since only some employees partake in the games, I have to be sure not to make it look like I am "too friendly" with that group.

Oh well.  I am not really complaining.  I enjoy my job much more now than I have ever have so it is not like I would trade these "perks" in.  But still, being less visable sometimes really has advantages.