In a bustling office, a 30-something supervisor poured his heart into a shot at a manager’s role, one that promised to double his pay. Nights and weekends became a blur of extra projects, his ambition burning bright.
But his colleagues didn’t cheer his hustle. Instead, they called it cheating, their voices sharp with resentment. Accused of skewing the scales in a cutthroat race, he now faces a workplace simmering with tension.
His climb for success has turned into a tightrope walk, balancing ambition against team harmony.
A Relentless Drive for Success
He was single, childless, and hungry for a career leap. When the company’s vice president announced retirement, a managerial spot opened – a golden ticket to visibility and better pay. His mentor, the VP, pulled him aside.
“Show them you can handle the hours,” she advised, noting the role demanded 50-60 hours weekly. He dove in, taking on tough projects others dodged, working late into the night, and logging weekend hours. His manager noticed, praising his drive.
“You’re killing it,” the VP said during a review. But his colleagues saw a different story. In a heated weekly meeting, they confronted him. “You’re cheating,” a veteran supervisor snapped, her face tight. “Not everyone can work those hours.” He pushed back, calm but firm.
“I’m just doing what it takes,” he said, believing his effort was fair game.I admire his grit. Ambition like that takes guts, especially in a competitive field. A friend of mine once hustled similarly for a promotion, staying late to impress the boss, and it paid off with a corner office.
But this man’s colleagues have a point, his hours set a bar others can’t reach. Dr. Amy Edmondson, a leadership expert, told Forbes in 2025, “Promotions should reward impact, not just hours. Leaders who foster team collaboration over individual heroics build stronger workplaces.”
His hustle aligns with a 2024 Harvard Business Review study showing 62% of promoted employees went “above and beyond” before advancing. Yet, his solo sprint risks alienating peers. Could he have shared credit or mentored others to soften the blow?
Team Tensions and Unfair Expectations
The backlash hit hard. Colleagues with kids or strict work-life boundaries felt sidelined. The veteran supervisor, in her 50s, argued her seniority should count more than his overtime. “You’re skewing the numbers,” she said, her voice laced with frustration.
Others chimed in, saying they wouldn’t work unpaid hours on principle. He felt cornered. Why should he apologize for his freedom? Still, doubts crept in. Was he unintentionally setting a toxic standard?
His manager stayed silent, but the office vibe soured. Reddit users were split—some cheered his drive, others warned of burnout or being “too valuable” to promote, a trap where competence stalls growth.
Both sides sting with truth. His hustle isn’t cheating; it’s strategy in a system that rewards visibility. But colleagues’ resentment highlights a flaw in workplace culture, salaried roles shouldn’t demand free labor.
A colleague of mine once navigated a similar spat by advocating for team-wide flexible hours, easing tensions while still shining. He could try this, balancing ambition with diplomacy, like mentoring peers or sharing project wins.
The veteran supervisor’s anger might stem from feeling overlooked, but her accusation of cheating feels unfair. Still, if he wins the promotion, managing a resentful team could be his next hurdle.
Why should he dim his drive when the system rewards it, yet how can he lead without burning bridges?
These are the responses from Reddit users:
A lot of people address a situation involving an employee’s work habits and their potential impact on workplace expectations.
These Reddit comments critique the original poster’s excessive work habits, warning that taking on extra work to secure a promotion may backfire by fostering resentment.
Others highlight the complexities of the original poster’s intense work habits in pursuit of a promotion.
Ambition or Alienation?
The office hums with unease, his colleagues’ glares a silent rebuke. He keeps working late, eyes on the prize, but wonders if the cost is too high. Was his hustle a smart play for success, or did it unfairly tilt the scales?
Should he dial back to mend team bonds, or keep pushing in a game where effort is king? In this clash of ambition and fairness, who’s truly in the right?
