What’s good is bad, what’s bad is good, you’ll find out when you reach the top
You’re on the bottom
Tell me if you’ve seen something like this: You’re at work (or working from home), toiling away, when suddenly there’s an announcement. Your coworker just got the big promotion everyone was vying for. Let’s call him Chad. This isn’t the first time our buddy Chad reaped the rewards, which would be great if Chad were the go-getter his win streak suggests, but everyone knows Chad’s a dud. (Apologies to all you innocent Chads out there. Nothing personal. I just needed a name.)
You have now entered the Twilight Zone of workplace success, where you know, as Bob Dylan sang, “there’s no success like failure, And that failure’s no success at all.” It’s another dimension. A world of endless confusion and disappointment—particularly when you are good at your job and not named Chad. (Sorry, Chads!)
Promoto-rama: The Dark Side of Workplace Advancement
It’s all so galling! Let’s torture ourselves a bit just for fun, though, and list some boneheaded Chads who always seem to get the promotion:
The Boss's BFF (with Benefits) Chad: What most qualifies this Chad for advancement? Hitting the links with the boss, being born into the boss’s extended family, or—oh boy, is this a corker!—being the boss’s side dish? Skills are optional, but kissing up (or just kissing) is essential.
The Feckless Fraud Chad: It’s an art, really, making the mediocre look marvelous. Sure, Chad could just take credit for others’ hard work, game the system, or even simply cut corners. True masters like Chad, though, can pass off a hog as George Clooney with just some foundation, soft lighting, and the perfect wig.
The Shark out of Water Chad: So, turns out that this Chad has some merit. Maybe he truly excelled at his old job. Sadly, Chad’s hopeless in the new one. If only someone could have predicted it! I mean, to be fair, everyone did except maybe the clueless boss.
The Not-So-Diverse Checkbox Checker Chad: This Chad’s main qualification is that he fits the demographic the boss always promotes—the ones that just happen to look like the boss! Oh, and let’s be really honest here, shall we? This scenario takes place far, far more frequently than the occasional misguided attempts at inclusivity everyone complains about. In fact, it’s so common that it looks normal.
The Potluck Winner Chad: Sometimes there’s just no good explanation for Chad getting ahead. Maybe he blackmailed the CEO. Or maybe the big boss is under the influence of malevolent aliens. Or it could be a glitch in the Matrix. Whatever the reason, just know that Chad got the promotion that everyone but Chad deserved. Again!
You’ve got the idea. We’ve all seen variations of these scenarios. It’s why our boy Chad, utterly inept Chad, lives in a large house with a three-car garage instead of his parents’ basement where he belongs.
The Confidence Con: Fake It till You Make It (Or Forever)
To make matters worse and amp up the sting of indignity, our Chad struts around like he earned it all. The real kicker? Everyone else seems to buy into that nonsense too! And you’re left alone, pointing at Chad’s naked ambition while everyone else is convinced he’s wearing Armani.
We see this phenomenon everywhere, not just at work:
The student who wins an award at graduation but passed every test by looking over his neighbor’s shoulder,
The baseball team that wins the World Series by stealing signs (I'm looking at you, Astros. We haven't forgotten!),
The CEO and his cronies who pocket millions even as the company circles the drain,
The politician who barely squeaks into office but acts like she got a landslide mandate,
The mediocre student who gets into Superelite U simply because Mummy went there,
From the cradle till it's too late, we suckle at the teat of the meritocracy myth. “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?” goes the old chestnut, as if intellect and financial success are cause and effect; if you’re at the top, you earned it—even if you were born there. It’s absurd on its face really.
The Flip Side: "What’s good is bad, what’s bad is good"
And you’ve seen the flip side. When the truly talented, the clearly competent, and the best of the best get ignored, passed over, or plowed under. When the most fired up are rewarded by getting fired. If this is you, being too good may be a big “too bad” for your career.
I wrote a little while back about how we don’t live in a meritocracy, that marketing, eats merit for breakfast. But marketing isn’t the only enemy of merit. Sometimes, a lot of times, it’s your very success itself that holds you back.
Imagine you’re the CEO of a small company, and one of your employees—Manuel—is simply and consistently excelling. In recognition of Manuel’s ability, you do the right thing and promote him to a lower-level management position, and with some guidance—boom!—he starts demonstrating superior chops as a leader too. He leads from his values, modeling integrity and a can-do spirit. Manuel’s team loves him more than free donuts on Fridays. Other teams love working with Manuel’s team.
Manuel’s a rising star and deserves to be treated as such. So, what could be the downside?
Too often it depends on that CEO and other upper-echelon types. Again, if you’re the type of leader who operates—like Manuel—from a place of human decency, you’re likely to agree that Manuel is something special. He deserves recognition and, as time goes on, sensible promotion. With proper attention and development, he could become your most dependable go-to guy.
The Boss's Dilemma: Managing a Star When You're a Black Hole
But what if you weren’t that kind of person and leader? What if you were a mere boss? While you might benefit from, admire, and maybe even take credit for Manuel’s success, what would Manuel really represent to you?
Bosses, as opposed to true leaders, are usually shot through with imposter syndrome, narcissism, paranoia, and other personal and moral impairments. While they want to bask in success, they’re primarily driven by their own needs, desires, and foibles, including envy. No matter how great Manuel is, his competence might make the boss look bad, and we can’t have that! His competence is the ultimate threat!
If you were that type of boss (and I sincerely hope you ain’t), you've got a few options for dealing with a chronic competent like Manuel. Let’s review some:
Do the Ostrich: Just stick that bird brain in some sand and pretend Manuel doesn’t exist. This one’s risky though because while your head is safe, your you-know-what is waggling around all vulnerable-like.
Assimilate: This one’s popular with cult leaders, autocrats, and fictional monsters, such as the Borg on Star Trek or the White Walkers of Westeros. You just cajole, bribe, and bully Manuel into your way of doing things and hope he lacks convictions. For added fun, you can mutter, “resistance is futile,” as you go about corrupting your star employee.
Put a Cap on It: Simply keep Manuel right where he is. If he can’t rise, then he can’t threaten your finely-tuned sense of self-importance. Allies are useful here to keep him in his lane, so bonus points if you can find some handy lickspittles to lend a hand.
Torment Him: This one is especially for all the sadists, bullies, malevolent narcissists, and Machiavellian jerks out there. You know what to do. Enjoy!
Nuke Him: Just who does he think he is showing you up with that flashy competence and all! Simply smash him. Fire his butt!
As for Manuel, his best choice would probably be to get the hell away from you.
But of course you’re not that kind of manager. If you were, would you still be reading?
So, What's the Solution?: When There’s No Failure Like Success
What I’ve described isn’t leadership and certainly isn’t good business. After all, if you’re a boss who regularly grinds down or kneecaps your best people, what’s your goal, your real and practicable goal? Well, it isn’t to benefit your company, that’s for sure!
Great leaders, the ones the world desperately needs more of, see individual success as a win for the whole team. They view competence as an asset, not a threat. They cultivate talent, not crush it.
So, how should we proceed?
I, of course, have all the answers, but I prefer to dole them out in short, cryptic essays rather than just tell you up front. Here’s some pointers, though:
For our Manuels: Stay the course and keep on being you. If you work for a true leader, stay loyal and learn much. If you end up with a bad boss, recognize that you deserve better and find a true leader to work for.
For our Chads: Go study at the knee of a Manuel, buddy. You have much to learn and maybe even to contribute.
For true leaders: Thank you! You’re laying the foundation for a better future. Your Manuels are your greatest asset, but don’t forget to learn from them just as they learn from you. And keep an eye on Chad.
For mere bosses: Consider a career change, preferably something that separates you from the human community.
For everyone else: Stay vigilant. Call out unfairness when you see it. And remember, just because someone's at the top doesn't mean they deserve to be there.
We’re not going to change the system overnight, but we can choose to be more like a Manuel than a Chad. We can strive for and reward real success, not just the appearance of it. And maybe, just maybe, we can create workplaces where there's no success like actual, honest-to-goodness success.
Because in a world where failure often looks like winning and winning can lead to failure, the biggest success may be to refuse to play that game at all.
Has your very ability and competence ever held you back? As a leader, do you ever feel threatened by others’ successes?
Leaders cultivate cultures where competence and success are valued, and I can help.
Unlock the Great Leader Within! Download my free resource, the Transform To GREATness Toolkit, now!
I look forward to hearing from you.
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When Success Is Failure and Competence the Ultimate Threat