506 Variant Also Negotiates

You Owe Them Your Audience

I wanted so badly to be a software developer. While I was washing dishes in my late 20s, after a particularly vicious deconstruction of life, I got an opportunity — with a condition:

Move north, or get lost.

I spent my last dollars on gas, driving around to prospect potential rooms for rent. Why?


Because RG told me he wouldn’t hire me unless I lived in Vantucky.

That effort got me in. I “championed” my way into the industry.

A couple years later, at the next gas company, I got my first review.

“You’re not what we thought you were, so you don’t get a raise.”

Excellent feedback — especially in an annual review where no expectations were ever clearly set.
AR was cool. But he never offered actual feedback in our 1:1s – and then dropped that bombshell.
I jumped ship.

Next stop: an energy consultancy. The pattern started again.
Missed 1:1s. Fire drills out of nowhere.

“Write SMART goals. We’ll use them in six months for your review.”

How do you write goals when the company doesn’t offer… anything of value?
:shrug:

It was easy, though – so I studied. I learned.
Eventually, I got an offer I couldn’t turn down. When I gave notice, my manager said:

“Wow. I’ve never promoted someone and then had them quit.”

Well. Look in the mirror.

Servant Leadership Isn’t Optional

Servant leadership means being in service to your reports.
Your job — first and foremost — is to make your team successful. Everything else is secondary.

Your TM’s failures? Yours.

Their successes? Theirs. If you did your job right, maybe you get a mention in the credits.

You are responsible for providing the resources, the budget, the people, the mentorship, and the consistent AUDIENCE – so they can deliver for you, and you can deliver for your boss.

Missing 1:1s, rescheduling them, or pushing them to async is a massive pet peeve of mine.
Inexcusable.

This industry is isolating by default.
I need to speak to my manager, regularly.
Otherwise, I’ll lead myself – and then start wondering why I’m even here. Again.

If you’re in leadership, you owe your people – your team – your audience.
If you’re an IC, you deserve your manager’s audience.

Demand it.
Or deliver — and find somewhere that will give you what you deserve.