Chutes & Ladders

I received a bombshell earlier this month from SLAB telling me that they were looking to roll me off my current team and transfer me to another one. The corporate plan as announced to us about a year back was that plans were underway to move our office further north. It was a move that wouldn't sit too well with me since I live much further south than that. So in anticipation of preparing for the move, which won't be for another eighteen months at least, it was decided that I would be transferred to another group.

I was unable to get from SLAB a solid date on when this was happening. I didn't get a sense that I even had much say in the matter. It is possible that I might've changed my mind about things. But I think the fact that I didn't exactly protest much when SLAB announced it to me probably said otherwise.

Truth be told, I have been in the same area for almost six years and it probably wouldn't hurt to have a change of scenery before my official "scenery change". A couple things concerned me, though.

One. Where would I go? If I wasn't going to have a say as to where I'm going, does that mean they could put me in some crazy group and I end up with a boss I really can't stand. As much as SLAB annoys at times, I've gotten used to his style and he's actually not bad most of the time. And there are some groups out there that I don't want to be in.

Two. What would happen to my so-called promotion that's been dangled in front of me for the last two years? If they roll me off before that happens, does this mean that it'll be null and void. I would lose seniority and would have to start over again working my way up the ladder since the other people in the new group would have seniority over me. The thing is that it's not like I care for the promotion persay but a small part of me feels it'd be nice to have something for all my years of work.

Keep in mind that I am hoping to branch out from the company on my tenth anniversary so some may wonder why I care. I think it's more the principal than anything else. And it'd be nice to end my career on a high note just in case I need to fall back on it.

I was told that in anticipation of me being rolled off that I would need to train a couple other team members to learn my tasks. There's a lot that only I know and they don't want to be left in the lurch in the event I roll off or leave. So I've been doing just that and in the meantime keeping my fingers crossed that things will work itself out. What else can I do?

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Wouldn't you know it? Today was my first day from my vacation and SLAB pulls me aside. He extends his hand towards me and congratulates me. I officially got my promotion, which will be effective September 1st. Woo hoo!