In this case I’m firmly believing its either a failure to see value/communicate value within the current role, or the fact that the other position completely trumps the importance of my own (which I definately know is the case).

As for the see value/communicate value. There are many views on how to “get after it” and if my style is conflicting I have to ask myself should I change it, or should I change venues.

At the end of the day I answered by focusing on the venues.

One gets excited when you hear that others are vouching for you to fill a position, but in the end they don’t. As Richard has commented, the “problem is not you; it is the organizational culture that supports this type of behavior”

I suppose the positive thing is that you had many vouching for you. In my case, I had one who said that the only way to earn this position was through their referral that later got revoked for one reason or another. Perhaps it was cause I was “too hood” or too “new school” to their “old school” ways? Maybe I was simply a threat and a superstar?

Too many times in a corporate setting, there’s always someone block blockin.

“Have you considered the possibility that you are a threat to him? This is common with managers who are incompetent. If you get a superstar under you, then you could get concerned that they will outshine (and eventually overtake) you.”

I’ve found solace that certainly what Richard expressed above is what has happened to me. However, no need to ponder, on to the next new opportunity. See you at the top!

I love the radical outside the box thinking, and that in itself may be a terrific blog post in its own right. This post was more focused on how to deal with disappointment, and the emotional impact it causes.

That being said I was concerned with how little I saw my feelings being taken into account (which some people would call naivety). I’m a relationship person though, and sometimes analytical managers fail to surmise the difficulties and adjustments that need to be made when dealing with someone who focuses on relationships over concrete calculations. This was brought up not as an excuse for my being upset, but because it helps managers understand the pitfalls in communication with some employees.

Back to thoughts on emotional impacts and dealing with disappointments. It’s my belief the attitude of life sux get over it, is not a helpful way to address a situation and provide substantial learning to others. I understood what happened and was able to rationalize it based on previous experience of seeing it (Poker) and felt that view may give people the power to deal with similar situations in their own lives.

Why didn’t the manager recognize the value? Maybe you are not marketing yourself correct, or perhaps he really wants someone else in that position. Have you considered the possibility that you are a threat to him? This is common with managers who are incompetent. If you get a superstar under you, then you could get concerned that they will outshine (and eventually overtake) you.

Let’s discuss the HR practices of a certain large company. They hire contractors because they are expendable. Yes, they may promise big things, but often they fail to deliver. Then after giving your life to them, they throw you out like the garbage and hire someone else at a lower wage.

Companies have lost their soul. In many cases, it is only about the bottom line and not about the needs of society. Organizations have become poor stewards of their resources, and as a result, we continue to fall behind the rest of the world. When you describe the bad beat, you are only looking at one of the symptoms. The real problem is NOT you; it is the organizational culture that supports this type of behavior. Perhaps the real solution is to fire all the managers and start rebuilding from the bottom up.

Then again, I’m going to call the manager in question an asshole because you probably would not.