Million Dollar Listing: a Career Saboteur in Action

Be very wary of career saboteurs. As in, people in your life who try to prevent you, with no valid reason, from moving up in your career. Last night on “Million Dollar Listing”, I saw first hand the creation of one. In the second to last episode, Madison’s assistant Heather, decided she was ready to move up. She has her real estate license, wanted to work as an agent, and wanted to do so in the West Hollywood, CA. She has been assisting Madison for two years and works in Malibu, which is a distant drive from West Hollywood. She approached Josh Altman, another agent on the show and the guy she’s dating, for advice; his advice was she should definitely take the step if she wanted to.

Heather approached Madison with a proposal: to regionally extend Madison’s Malibu agency, adding her on as an agent in West Hollywood. If Heather couldn’t work as an agent, she would quit as his assistant. Madison was pissed.

On last night’s episode, Madison decided to confront Josh Altman for giving career advice. Let me state this again: Madison is mad at Altman for giving career advice. To Madison, for Altman to give advice to a real estate agent on her next career move was Altman’s way to sabotage Madison. According to Madison, Heather is possessed and Altman has no position to give career advice, even if Heather asks for it, considering Altman and Heather have just started dating,

Now, I know reality TV is sometimes scripted. Assuming Madison is authentically mad at Altman and Heather, I am incredibly annoyed. If Heather had no idea or interest in real estate, I would say she might be influenced. She has a license and has been assisting two years in a market she has no interest in working in. Her approaching Altman is what most people would do when seeking advice; After all, Altman is a successful real estate agent. It infuriates me that Madison would become angry with any one wanting to advance in their career. Does he believe Heather would not want to use her license?

I’m also mad that he can’t appreciate her proposal to work with him as opposed to against him. It seems Madison cannot accept his friend’s career choice. Some young women do not make good career choices; Heather knows what she wants and she has learned the game.  I would never be angry with someone for advancing in his/her career. I would say that Madison is jealous but he is a successful agent. His only reason for being angry is he doesn’t want Heather to stop being his assistant. Thus, he is a career saboteur.

Moving up is a natural part of having a career. For those of us, who haven’t started our career, it’s natural for us to make moves towards it. Some people won’t understand this. Whether their lack of understanding is due to not accepting change or jealously, those people are simply sabotaging your career. I hope Madison is faking for cameras because I would hate to believe Heather is experiencing this kind of pressure, as she is moving forward.