Pros and Conmen

My boss at work is getting a promotion. This is great; the office has needed a shake up. But I'm not sure what it means for me yet. This move makes him the boss, head honcho, king dingaling. So the questions become: Am I expected to replace him? And would I want to?

I came into this job thinking of it as a risky career move, and I'd say it's worked out well. My main criteria for getting involved with this company were twofold:

1. I wouldn't have to be anyone's boss.
2. "Salesmanship" would not be an expectation.

Fantastic. Six years later my sales have nearly tripled, pay is good enough, I have discretion for interesting side projects... basically I run my own show. The Ben Show. Which is now reruns in syndication, check local listings.

If offered the job, what would be the cost? If you consider the above two rules against the new position being essentially "sales manager", it seems odd to even consider it. Not to put the rickshaw before the ninja, but I don't care to be anyone's boss again, and I'm not fond of salesmen, much less being one.

But not taking the position would probably be the beginning of the end of my radio career. My old boss might not find it flattering that I simply declined to take his old desk, and my new boss would surely have eyes set on tightening the reigns, something from which I am known to flee.

Then again, maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. My boss is familiar with these credos I've burdened myself with, so if he offered me the job perhaps it's because of them. He wants someone to teach relationship building and casual professionalism, not closing skills. Someone to head up a team, not run a sales department.

We'll see. I don't know that I'll even be offered, although I'm sure it will be discussed.

Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.