"Please change his designation from Senior Manager to Manager"

"Please change his designation from Senior Manager to Manager..." read the email from my then-manager.

I was stunned! Let's call this demoted guy "Kachra" (not to demean him, but just a reference to the famous character from Lagaan). 

Initially, Kachra soared in his career. He achieved his first promotion in 6 months, subsequent ones every 12-18 months. During that period, he was a senior manager. A year before this incident, Kachra transitioned to a new business unit (BU) reporting directly to the unit head (let's call him Andrew). Andrew was convinced that Kachra was no good. After a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), he recommended either termination or demotion to a manager. The HR leader (let's call him Ishwar) agreed to the demotion. However, the story didn't conclude there. A few months later, Andrew decided to let Kachra go. Ishwar, after reviewing Kachra's past performance, believed he deserved another chance. Coincidentally, at the same time, one of the leaders (let's call him Bhuvan) was looking to hire a manager to manage a money-guzzling process. Ishwar convinced Bhuvan to give Kachra a shot at it, and the transfer happened.

Kachra knew this was the last chance to prove his metal. He put in the efforts and hours to learn about the new role and started addressing the challenges that Bhuvan was struggling with. About 18 months later, not only did Kachra embrace the new role adeptly, but he also showcased substantial savings through process improvements. Bhuvan & Ishwar were pleased to promote him back to Senior Manager, and in the subsequent years, he continued to rise up the ranks.

While this episode underscores Kachra's resilience, it also raises concerns about role mismatches and the pitfalls of premature promotions. To be fair to Kachra, perhaps he matured at the right pace, but several factors could have hindered his progress:

1. Kachra might have been better suited for an execution/Individual Contributor role, not yet ready for a more strategic position.

2. The skills valued in his initial BU may not have been appreciated or applicable in the new BU.

3. Despite performing at his capability, he might have fallen short of Andrew's expectations. Reporting to a BU leader for the first time could have overwhelmed him.

4. He could have been going through a personal struggle during his transition, and that compounded until a point of no return, becoming a lost cause for him and Andrew beyond a point.

5. Inadequate guidance and resources may have hindered his performance in the new role.

While other reasons could exist, Kachra demonstrated his ability to deliver. For various reasons, he was a misfit in the new BU role, and it was a commendable decision by Ishwar and Bhuvan to invest faith in him, providing a second chance with clear goals and ample support to ensure success.

Most individuals deserve a second chance, if not a third.