Maja SmithNon-promotable tasks are things that are important to the organisation but will not help advance your career. In summary, it's dead-end work. And women are particularly prone to taking it on, writesSince I've moved into a more senior position at work, I've had numerous women approach me – both personally and professionally – about how to deal with being overlooked. They work hard and smart, moving the needle in countless ways, but they do it all in the background.
I was grateful, even honoured, every time a senior leader at these many institutions asked me to clean up a presentation, take meeting minutes, run an event or draft an agenda. I thought that being in control of the background was where I could be at my most powerful . Recently I asked my husband to hang up the washing. He did do it – but it was more of a flinging than a hanging, which obviously meant it didn’t dry quickly and even more obviously meant I haven’t asked him since. I’ve also once drawn him a map through the grocery store so that he could do our food shop in under two hours.