North Star Writers Group

You see, I started my long and lustrous career in front of a soft-serve ice cream machine at a bowling alley. The biggest challenge? Making sure each cone, when complete, had the perfect swirl on top and weighed approximately eight ounces.

I’d mastered that within a few weeks, and was promoted to bowling alley waitress. That way, I could earn a few dollars in tips to boot. Before I knew it, I was again promoted; this time to tournament scorekeeper.

But before I knew it, my dreams of high-fiving 300-game rollers and getting large tips from people who’d had a few too many Budweisers were squashed. I was replaced by a computer. It was back to waitressing for me! I was very disappointed. But it prepared me to face future setbacks in my status like a champion. In fact, I’ve learned to pretty much ignore them and move on. Sometimes, I’ve even been known to initiate them.

For example, I recently chose to step down as vice president of a small company in favor of a position of much lower rank in a sizable department that is part of an even more sizable company.

I went from setting strategy to staring at it.

It’s a lot like getting dumped. You go from happily holding hands jaunting across the park to just thinking about doing it. Longingly watching others do it. Wishing you were still doing it.

The key to survival in getting from where you are to your eventual promotion is how well you handle the transition. Here are some dos and don’ts for my fellow demotees:

Do Sudoku. Mind puzzles keep you sharp. Sudoku is sure to provide you with that needed challenge until you’re called upon to figure out real people-process-product problems. It could be years. You’ll be a Sudoku master by then, so at least you’ll feel accomplished in something.

Don’t Sudoku on company time. I’d have thought that was common sense, but I walked by someone else’s cubicle last week and realized it’s not.

Do display Stephen Covey books on your desk.

Don’t read them. Before you’re done, management will be on to the next great idea, and you’ll still be on the fourth habit. Think for yourself instead.

Do stare at the company strategy hanging in your cube. Read it. Memorize it. Start testing everything you do, every day, to see if that activity reflects it. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts.

Don’t actually believe that everything you do, every day, will reflect it. Or that you’ll be asked to discuss it, or taken seriously if and when you are asked.

Do hang in there. I don’t believe that what goes up must come down. Most times, those people just go higher. But you can always count on this: What has gone down will always, eventually come back up!

And finally, do look on the bright side of your demotions, both in business and in life. I was recently demoted from best friend to “regular” friend after my son was born and I didn’t want to go out on weeknights anymore. In many ways, being the regular friend is easier and less of a time commitment.

Every demotion is an opportunity to improve at something else you need to get better at. For me in that case, it was being a better mom. At work, I think I needed a little reminder of where I came from and what it’s like to be someone who doesn’t set the strategy, but is asked to live by it.

I’d like to believe that one day, when I am again called on to serve to my full potential, I just might remember what it’s like to be where I am now, staring at strategy, struggling with status, and satisfying my problem-solving fix with Sodoku. Until then, pass the eraser. I’m going to need it.

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