What next after being passed over for promotion

This post came out from The Business Times (21 February 2016)
Title - What next after being passed over for promotion

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Hit pause
2. Talking to the boss
3. No perks of being a wallflower
4. Time to leave?

On Hit pause

• First thing first: stop. And breathe. It is normal to experience a gamut of emotions. But let yourself calm down before you take any action. It stings, but try not to behave abnormally in the office. That just makes things awkward and it looks unprofessional.
• Next, congratulate your colleague, no matter how you feel inside. He or she is still a teammate (or new boss), and you will have to continue working with that person. 
• Once all the niceties are out of the way, the introspection can begin. Finding space and time for reflection is extremely valuable. From that process, employees can learn more about themselves and the company: What qualities or attributes did the successful person have that I didn't? What new experiences would increase my value? Was there already a succession plan in place? 

On Talking to the boss

• After which, speaking to your manager is a must. Don't wait for your manager to initiate a conversation - be proactive and arrange a meeting after a day or two. Getting feedback on where your expectations were not aligned and what you can do better for the future is crucial if you want to move ahead. Such a conversation builds trust, creates empowerment and maintains motivation.
• One important point to note throughout your conversation is not to speak negatively about others - especially the person who got the job instead of you. If you consider that promoted colleague's performance to be inferior to yours, tread lightly and be gracious. It is almost impossible for a co-worker to know about all aspects of another's job. So, one's perception of another as a low performer may not be a representation of the employee as a whole.

On No perks of being a wallflower

• Sitting quietly and letting it slide can be one of the worst decisions one can make - promotions hardly ever fall from the sky. No matter how good a worker you are, being proactive about your career progression can make a world of difference in the competitive workplace. This means initiating regular conversations with your manager about your career, and not just once a year. 
• Beyond intelligence and aptitude, gritty people, by virtue of their interest, focus and drive typically achieve higher levels of success. The people who get on in this world are the people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they need... Seeking a promotion demonstrates a person's ambition, loyalty and commitment to the organisation.
• Workers should actively seek opportunities and put themselves up for them instead of waiting for management to notice. Some exceptional traits that these successful candidates have are that they are easy to work with, as well as take and give feedback constructively. 
• Other traits also include: proactively owning solutions where others cannot or do not; energising people with contagious positivity, being good listeners, and being able to stay calm and unify others. 

On Time to leave?

• Failing to get a promotion doesn't mean there's no opportunities in the organisation at all. Career opportunities can take many forms, such as lateral movement within the same function, and special projects or cross-department assignments. Before you make your decision, it is best to ask your manager what opportunities can open up to you. 
• Quitting is the only answer if your manager suggests that an opportunity will take longer than you are willing to wait, or there's no opportunities at all. Ultimately, it's about whether an employee still finds meaning in his or her work. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big