Micromanagers that struggle to give you even the tiniest bit of responsibility. Vampire tasks that clog up your daily to-do list. Colleagues that talk a little bit too much and never allow you to get on with your work. There are plenty of workplace behaviours that annoy us, but perhaps none more so than ‘goalposting’.

Picture this: you’re working well and are on track to reach your latest career goal when you’re faced with a sudden change of direction. Maybe you’ve narrowly missed out on a promotion and more work is required to ‘prove yourself,’ or perhaps you’ve been asked to completely change your approach, invalidating all of your previous efforts. Either way, the goal posts have been moved – and that is difficult to navigate at the best of times.

Similar to breadcrumbing – where an employer strings you along with the promise of progression or another benefit, only to never deliver – ‘goalposting’ occurs when you’ve been working towards a certain outcome, only for your manager to swoop in and change the parameters, leaving you to fall short.

It’s something that career coach Jaz Marfo says happens all the time. “It’s always disappointing and often feels like a personal affront, but most of the time goalposting is to do with red tape, bad management or messy processes within a company,” she explains.

That being said, having to remain upbeat and “agile” while the hoops you have to jump through are switched and swapped is no easy feat. “It’s only natural to feel a bit jaded by the constant knockbacks,” Marfo recognises, “but clear communication is the best way to tackle any feelings of frustration or inadequacy as they’re brought up.”

While goalposting may sadly not always be avoidable, there are ways that we can learn to manage it, and the inevitable disappointment it brings.

Foster a good relationship with your manager

According to Marfo, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from goalposting is to bond with your boss – even if they end up being the person making the changes. “You want them to be someone that can advocate for you, but that you can also trust to answer your questions honestly,” she says.

Not only can healthy communication with your higher ups help you understand exactly what’s expected of you in your role, if changes are to come, you also have closer insight into how and why those decisions were made.

“If you feel like you have been goalposted (or are about to be), head into your next review or catch up with questions that will help you get clarity on the situation,” Marfo advises. “For example, if you’ve had your promotion delayed or a big project scrapped at the last minute, I tell my clients to ask questions like: How long will this take to get signed off? Whose approval does it need? Is there anything more I need to do to get it over the line?” The answers might be frustrating to hear, but you’ll ultimately feel like you have a better understanding of the situation. 

Keep your timeline in mind – but prepare to change it

Progressing at the rate we want to isn’t always feasible. After all, everyone believes they deserve a promotion, but very few people actually earn one. But as important as it is to be realistic, Marfo suggests staying clear on not just what you want to achieve but when you want it to happen.

“It’s often not in our control, but we want to avoid working too hard for a job that doesn’t pay enough as much as possible,” she says. “Remember your time and contribution have value, and your employer should not just recognise, but also respect that.” And if they don’t? It may be time to move on to somewhere that does. 

Always have your CV ready to go

And in light of the above, Marfo recommends always having your CV ready and warm, no matter where you are in your career. “Even if you’re not truly considering leaving, looking at what else is out there is helpful for reminding yourself that there are always other jobs that are within your reach,” she adds. 

Images: Getty/Adobe