It is Final Four weekend of March Madness! The NCAA college basketball tournament began a couple of weeks ago with 68 teams and is down to the last four teams. That means 64 teams find themselves sitting in the stands watching the four remaining teams play out their dreams.

It can be hard to cheer for others who are experiencing the success you are dreaming of. Sure, there is always next year, but how do you handle this year when you fall short of your dream? How do you feel about those who get to live out theirs this year? And what does any of this have to do with the business/professional world?

 Making it to Your Personal “Final Four”

You have been working hard to exceed your KPIs, develop your team, and be a strong leadership team member. A new promotion opportunity has been announced, and you feel you are in a strong position to move into this senior leadership role. However, after a few weeks of interviews, the company announces that a fellow leadership team member is being promoted to this new senior leadership position. And  you find that you will be directly reporting to this person, effectively immediately.

After some reflection, you perhaps understand why they were chosen at this time, but you are still disappointed and having a difficult time with the decision. That’s understandable. It can be tough when you don’t get a promotion that you really wanted and a position you feel qualified for. Now you must make the decision for how you will move forward with this situation.

Actions speak louder than words

The actions you choose going forward will convey to everyone your feelings about the situation. So consider your wisest options, ones that will increase your chances for future promotions as well. That will mean moving forward with a positive attitude, and the wisest thing to do is congratulate this new leader on their promotion. Likewise, convey to your direct reports that as a team, you all are going to work hard to contribute to the success of this senior leader.

Maintaining a positive attitude and choosing to support others to the best of your ability will increase your success with your direct reports, fellow leadership team members, the senior leaders in the company, as well as those within the industry. It demonstrates that success for you is truly about focusing on the entire team’s success, and not just your own.

This is true servant leadership. And it shows a deeper understanding that supporting another’s “wins” doesn’t take anything away from your own success, now or in the future. In fact, it’s just the opposite as it only enhances your opportunities for future professional success.

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P.S. Kudos to NC State!