Have you ever been penalized for over performing?

[passit1]

Two different jobs ... my General Managers blocked promotions that would have taken me out of their departments because they did not want to lose my productivity and skill set.

First job - I couldn't get anywhere in the company past my GM and the lack of a college degree made getting a job elsewhere problematic. Since my GM was obviously not going to do anything to lose me, I went to school for 4 years part time while working there. Used my accrued vacation time to take one day a week off for internship hours and scored a new job 2 months before I graduated at one of my internship sites. Yes, revenge is best served cold and well aged.

Second time was at the company I left the first one for. After several promotions over almost a decade, I languished in the same position for 6 years. The last 2 years I was actively trying for promotions. Turns out my GM was going for promotions and it would be easier for him to move up if he had a successor in place ready for his position - that was me. He was either picky or not promotable and did not go anywhere while keeping me from being promoted out of his unit. I tried to talk to him, my district manager, HR head...they all had no idea why with above average reviews and strong job performance why I was not even interviewed for the postings. Hmmmhmmm. Now I work for a different company entirely. My old GM looked like he was in shock when I gave my notice, he didn't figure out that I was looking outside the company for the last 8 months. Un-be-lievable.