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The Promotion I Tried to Turn Down
I tried to turn down a promotion. When I was VP of Product at Vivint, my boss, Jefferson Lyman, told me he was promoting me to SVP, with my former peers reporting to me. I said I already had the influence I needed. His answer was "That's exactly why you should be the SVP." I had earned my colleagues' respect, and in many ways I was already leading the team. If you're aiming for your next product leadership role, look at the work you already take on. Are you helping peers make better decisions, connecting customer value to business value, and developing people? Practice those before the promotion conversation, because they're still the job once your former peers report to you.
I tried to turn down a promotion.
When I was a VP of Product at Vivint, my boss, Jefferson Lyman, told me he was promoting me to SVP. My former peers would report to me.
They were talented people I respected. I wasn’t pushing for a promotion, and I felt I could get the work done from where I was.
I told Jeff I appreciated the offer, but I already had the influence I needed.
His response: “That’s exactly why you should be the SVP.”
By then, I had gained the respect of my colleagues and was able to guide and influence the team. In many ways, I was already leading it.
That conversation is worth remembering when you’re thinking about your next product leadership role.
Look at the work you already take responsibility for. Are you helping your peers make better decisions? Connecting customer value to business value? Developing people who can take on more responsibility?
Those are responsibilities worth practicing before the promotion conversation. They also remain part of the work when your former peers become your direct reports.
When did you start leading before you had the title?
