Question to Ask the Workplace Doctors about being irritated by not being assigned to an important project: I was totally disappointed and frustrated at not having got what I deserve. Please suggest a way to overcome this situation.
I work at the lower rung of a consulting firm. For a few months now we have been expecting a diverse and an interesting assignment to come our way. My senior knew that I was well qualified to be part of this assignment, a fact that was certified even by another colleague. I have discussed my capabilities and interests in this regard with my senior a couple of times and my senior noticing this even suggested me to be part of the project at a time when we knew that the assignment was almost in our hands.
Now with the assignment having come, all of a sudden three others have been included in this assignment excluding me. When asked in a subtle manner, my senior said since they could not include more than 3 resources in this assignment, I was excluded. I accepted it politely at that instance, but inside I was totally disappointed and frustrated at not having got what I deserve. Please suggest a way to overcome this situation. I am totally irritated presently.
Signed, Irritated
DearĀ Irritated:
It’s understandable why you are disappointed and irritated. You have expressed you disappointment to your senior by asking subtly why you weren’t chosen and your answer was not that you weren’t qualified; rather it was that no more than three could be named to this project.
From here, there is no way for us to know if those other individuals named for this assignment are more or less qualified than you. The fact is that you were not named and how you react to that fact is what matters.There are some do and don’t reactions that will determine if you are happy to be part of and will continue to be wanted as a member of this consulting firm:
*Don’t allow your irritation to be expressed in gossip about not being placed on this project. Most of us want to vent, but what is said gets repeated, distorted and can paint you as a poor loser. This is not the way you want to be viewed by your senior and others in the firm.
William Gorden