The First Three Things you need to do when you get Promoted to Leadership
Stop, Forget and Deflect
The Military is a funny thing. A very unique working environment for many reasons. One of which, is that all positions are filled from within.
There is no external recruitment (although this may change in some areas soon). Even more unique to this process is there are next to no job interviews. Every single vacated leadership and management position is allocated by the equivalent of Human Resources. Firstly, people are promoted. Then a position identified for them. Then they and their new organisation are notified of their new position.
Doesn’t that sound weird?
Imagine you are promoted to Chief Technical Officer first, then a decision as to which company you would work second. That’s how the Military does it. Someone will be promoted to a certain rank, then a job will be identified for them. Now, don’t get me wrong, you and the company have a bit of a say — but in the end, it is ‘what is best for the Military’ that ultimately decides.
This changes as you get higher up the pyramid and there are less and less positions, but on that first promotion to a position in charge of a team, you have little say.