Change Of Job Role

[MrBump]

Had a chat with my boss yesterday, and he told me that he wanted to change my job role.

I currently manage a handful of people on a very tightly focused technology service desk.  He wants to move me away from than into a more strategic role, my direct reports to report into someone else.

Not sure how I feel about it.  He was selling it to me as it being a role to prepare me to take over from him, as he's doing more and more of his managers work.  But I can't decide if that's just bullsh!t, and if he's managing me out...  I've always shone at my apraisals, both with my boss and his boss, who conducts annual reviews with the whole deparement.  I've always excelled with my team, always kept the service smooth and consistently good for our customers.  I've been running our support desk across the UK, Singapore and New York for the last 2 years.

I hate and fear change...  This could be a really good move, or it could just devalue me within the department and push me out...

Hmmm...


Mark.

[Afghan Dave]

It sounds a little dodge to me  :?

If the line of reporting and succession isn't clear I'd be VERY careful in these fast changing times.

If you are clearly excellent at your current role it would be very hard to make a case for losing you but if you transfer to a position that is ill defined well you're taking a risk.

Stability & job security would be more valuable to me.

[Twinfan]

+1 on what Dave says

Unless it's a clearly defined role, given in writing as a change to your job via HR, I'd be wary.

[Johnny Mac]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[tomjackson]

I've never really had a defined job description and just always jump at the chance to do something different.
But then I'm pretty gung ho and done worry about consequences in the slightest (unless it's choosing something like pickups or a speaker where the decision may take 6 months).

Obviously I'm in a different industry where different rules apply but I would just ask directly if your job security is at risk and suggest that if you agree to the change of role you would like your job description changing and the salary for the new role highlighting.

Usually being positive about change and taking risks works best.

[Plexi Ken]

My story is the opposite of Tom.

IMO, stay where you are... if you can. In my previous job, I was given a new position (in another department) which was sold to me as 'moving up'. My new boss (who was a company director) gave me the over-the-top hard sell and I went along with it. There was no written job description or specific job title, just some generic terms that could mean anything. Long story short... I was made redundant by the same Director who failed to define the role in the first place.

I (partly) blame myself. I should have insisted on a proper job tile with written description and responsibilities all agreed with the HR manager, old boss, new boss, etc. But I wanted to be seen as flexible and open to change.

A lesson learned the hard way  :(

[tomjackson]

Well if there was ever a time not to take risks I suppose it's now :?

[MrBump]

I guess all that's true.

I do trust my boss though.  Kinda...

Have a meeting with him tomorrow, might outline my concern etc and see what he says.

[Matt77]

If you trust him, go for it.
Your previous appraisals have been good.
If you have managed the team well it sounds like those skills are well developed.
This would be an opportunity to work on skills that you don't get as much exposure to.
If you don't like it or they are trying to manage you out, you can get a job elsewhere.
You can express this as something really positive in an interview.

[Matt77]

Oh and it wouldn't be a bid thing to ask for a salary increase. If they say no ask for a review date in writing 6 months in to the role

[ToneMonkey]

The only time I resisted a change was when my boss wanted to increase my responsabilities and change my job itle without any increase in pay.  After a long discussion with him, it turned out that the new job was essentially my old job with a load of cr@p that he didn't want to do.  I left to join my current company (which I'm leaving).

Always better to regret something you have done rather than something you haven't.  I say go for it.

[38thBeatle]

My job changed drastically about 2 years ago and I went through all the turmoil- saying goodbye to a close knit team and moving to a new location however I would change a thing now as I no longer have to speak to customers except in extreme circumstances and I get to tell everyone else what to do. I'd say explore the thing and press them to explain what it entails.

[MrBump]

So, this morning I told my team that I'll not be managing them soon, and that they'll be reporting into another support manager.

Also told them that I'm taking up a related but almost entirely undefined "other" role...

In the end it wasn't about having a choice...

Feeling very on edge at the moment...

:|

[Twinfan]

You had no choice then?  You were told what to do?  Doesn't sound ideal.

Time to make sure you're in a union?

[MrBump]

You had no choice then?  You were told what to do?  Doesn't sound ideal.

Time to make sure you're in a union?

Union?!?!?!?!?!

;)

No union... I suspect all will be good though... Time will tell...