I Was Promoted, Now I Manage the People I Was Once Peers With

Your Corporate Black Girl

Nikki,


What is some advice you have on being the youngest on your team and now having to manage people who went for the same promotion that you ended up getting?

-Manager in Buffalo, New York

Nikki

I have been with my company for 2+ years now and have been fortunate enough to have received 2 promotions within that time. Recently there was a position that went up within my department and myself and my other coworkers applied. Gratefully I got the job which left a bad taste is a lot of my then coworkers, now subordinates mouth. What is some advice you can give to someone who recently got a promotion and has to manage people who were once her peers? The tension is clearly there and I don’t know how to maneuver this space.

-Manager in DC

Advice Column
I'm Doing Someone Else's Job. How Do I Get out of It?
I'm Doing Someone Else's Job. How Do I Get out of It?

I appreciate the opportunity to lead and learn new things but I'm overwhelmed.

I Asked Him How He Is Liking the Job, He Said Racist Remarks Has Been Thrown at Him Since His First Day
I Asked Him How He Is Liking the Job, He Said Racist Remarks Has Been Thrown at Him Since His First Day

You should review your company's policies.

I’m a New Employee and Already I’ve Noticed Some Racial Comments That Make Me Uncomfortable
I’m a New Employee and Already I’ve Noticed Some Racial Comments That Make Me Uncomfortable

This is always a little bit tricky...

Dear Best For the Job,

Age and tenure don't always mean the most qualified.

Hiring and promoting younger staff into leadership roles makes folks really uneasy and it creates tension. Sometimes that tension is warranted but most times it's not.

The good thing is, that's not your problem!

Promoting the right person for the job is the right thing to do ultimately and as you continue to progress in your career, you'll continue to get the side eyes and the smirks. It lets you know you're doing the right thing.

As for advice, keep doing what you're doing. Stay focused. Block out the noise (i.e. attitudes and murmurs). Keep your head down and continue to work hard.


Now that you've been promoted, your list of responsibilities is growing so you don't have time for other people's nonsense. Your staff will either learn to accept you in your new role or they won't. If they do, then great! If they don't, you'll need to train them up or train them out. Whichever they prefer.


Managing your former peers isn't for the faint at heart. Make sure you focus on the job and not friendships.


Chin up, eyes open.


You've got this!

Nikki Davis

Hey 💕

Thank you for reading this post. We are an independent company and rely on readers like you to help support us! If you want to continue to support Your Corporate Black Girl, you can do so in a few ways:

Subscribe to us! Yes, it's that simple and easy!

Or, contribute! Share an experience, let us interview you. Let us know you.

Thank you!

Team Your Corporate Black Girl

NIKKI

Your curly girl manager, just trying to live her happiest life! 

Wife, new mom, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. with 11 years industry experience, 6 years of management experience. Manager a team of men in a male dominant industry, while being the only woman on the team. DIY fashion blogger, a self taught seamstress. Owner/Creator of a monthly subscription service, SewConscious.com. 

Need Nikki's advice?

Funke Adenijiblack, career, blog, write, writer