Well... for this one, you DESERVE an "Atta-Boy". I've seen so many people get screwed by the promise of "great things to come" or the implied threat of "make or break your career" (like, dude, if it was gonna break my career, my career isn't worth much, is it?)...

It's also a socialist ploy to get you to give something for nothing. I got asked once to do something like what you were, I asked if it paid more or had some other benefit... when I was told that "it would be good for my potential for advancement" (when I knew the job I was in was dead end) I told them "No thank you - my career is fine as it is". I'm still the "Girl Friday" when it comes to cool and fun projects and stuff, but if it doesn't benefit me or pay me more in a tangible asset or benefit, then you can go find another rube (or ruth) to loot!

If I was still young and naïve, then I might fall for such crap, but I'm now too old and jaded, and have had that carrot stuck in front of my face too many times not to realize that while it IS orange and crunchy, it's Styrofoam.

Based on the last line, it sounds like you're on top of everything. Here's my humble opinion on these issues.
1. A career is an artificial construct that people give you instead of money. It gives you steps that show you're progressing according to someone else's plan. Careers should be ignored.
2. "high profile" and "high visibility" means it matters to them. It may or may not be important to you. The "make or break" thingis probably nonsense.
3. You could phrase it as "yes, absolutely, if I get the authority commensurate to the responsibility.
4. If you told them you'd do it on a contract basis at a rate 75% higher than you're charging them now and that you would not care about career, benefits, vacation, promotions, or any of that, if you said you would just do an excellent job for that rate, there's a good chance they'd take the offer. They'd first try to get you to stay captive with a title bump and small raise, but they might take it if you pressed.

Whether they know it or not, it sounds like you're already a contractor who provides work for money. The more you internalize that, the less their nonsense matters. Do you think you're qualified to tell them what will make or break their lives? Are they smarter than you are and are qualified to say that to you? Probably not. I think you're on the right track ignoring their drama.

Congratulations on valuing yourself, Abaco!

Good for you. It sounds like the assignment wasn't engineering at all, but politics, and that is what they want your career to become. Don't do it.

Abaco, it just may be that this will cause your employers to fully appreciate your values and abilities. And not to take them for granted. Good luck.

I was attacked by a less-qualified supervisor after a
meeting where he took credit for my work and I objected --
during the meeting. . he lit into me for insubordination,
saying that he had the right to take credit, as my boss.
I told him that he should not have lied. . he wanted
my continued hard work, so it became a stalemate.
here's to your good luck, Abaco -- may your deal be
sweeter and better, and soon! -- j
.

Remember, if you're indispensable, you don't get promoted.

I do not disagree with your decision, Abaco, but I come at it from a different rational.

I am 'them' - a corporate executive. We often move a poorly functioning employee around to see if there is a place where there is a better 'fit'; we also often move a premier employee around to see if they have even more capacity than they have already shown. We are a small company, and our paychecks come out of what we earn: This means that you have to move the good employee to the higher responsibility position before you raise their pay - because their pay increase comes out of a percentage of 'the more money the company is now making because of increased performance'. (Conversely, moving the poorly performing employee to a new job may be a prelude to firing him if the fit is still not good.)

What you describe, Abaco is something different: lack of fealty. I also do medieval reenactment (as do Wm and several others in the company), and I am of the opinion that there is a fealty relationship between employer and employee - a reciprocity of loyalty and - in medieval times - a profit sharing agreement. What you are saying, Abaco, is that your employer has broken fealty with you. You have pulled their chestnuts out of the fire several times previously and they have not rewarded you for it. This does not speak well of their quality.

I disagree with those people who say that a career is not important. This varies from person to person. I agree with giellopudding (! - never thought to type that sentence in my life!) in that you have to determine what is important to you. If a career IS important to you, then that is a valid life decision - acknowledge it and pursue it. You are an individual and you shape the character of your own life.

Jan

Those 'atta boys' are hard to cash and one 'ah shit' will wipe out 100 'atta boys'. Congratulations on determining your worth and asserting it.

Good job, Abaco! I'm glad that you are finally learning to say no. I have a lot of trouble with this myself, but it's encouraging to see that you have stood up for your self-interest. We seem to be the most generous people on this planet sometimes, and others realize this, and exploit it.
I'm glad you are going on strike in these ways.

Congratulations and Good for you standing for YOU and what you do NOT the politics.

Reminds me of a family tale:
My dad was the assistant night manager at a celebrity type restaurant. You know, the place where the entertainers and politicians hung out. The boss asked him to take over being the day manager. A much bigger responsibility, no increase in pay. Ol' daddy handed in his apron and bought a little deli and started his own business. No more celebrity autographs and free passes, and much harder work, but...like you say.....

I'll bet that was almost the hardest thing you've ever done in your career, too.

Congratulations!

you may be on the path to getting that increase in pay,
sir, after declining to take their bait. . they may realize
that they need to sweeten the deal. -- j
.

Well, can you get the same job from somebody
else at a higher rate of pay?--Are you getting en-
ough to eat, pay the rent, and pay utilities now?--
Which displeased you the more, the not getting the
pay you think it warrants, or having responsibility
but not enough authority?

I had a job once, the only one I really loved.
I worked on it a year, 7 months, a week, and 3
days. I was a carhop at 75 cents an hour, plus
tips and daily food allowance. (No time and a
half for overtime, of course). (This was 1970--
1972). But I quit that job because the boss
clamped down on me and kept telling me to
slow down. It got so where if I went fast enough
that the cashiers didn't have to take orders out
the side door, he'd tell me I was going too fast.
It absolutely ruined the job for me. I gave notice
and served it out. (I have sometimes regretted
that I gave him notice, instead of just walking
off the job).

I had been managing to save money in the
bank. But about 4 days after leaving, I got a
job in the furniture factory (at $1.98 an hour,
38 cents above the current minimum wage). I
made considerably more than I had been mak-
ing; the main complaint I had against the factory
job was that, compared to my former job, it was
very boring. But the carhop job had been a mis-
ery to me, since the boss had ruined my pro-
fessional pride in it. I never regretted leaving it,
only having to leave.

I have had many jobs since then, some good,
some not so good. I think I was treated the best
(though not paid the best) on the street vendor
job, which I held 27 years. But I have never
had a job I loved as I did that carhop job, be-
fore it was ruined for me. It had once been so
exciting.

Of course, if you are doing all right self-em-
ployed, you can afford to turn down assignments
that are not suitable for you.

So few people know what they are good at and what they really prefer, and leap at any chance for advancement. We have all kinds of problems with management picking great engineers as leaders (can be the same, but are often not). You are very wise to choose to pursue what you enjoy and are skilled at!
Indirect responsibility is more and more en vogue. It is not always a disaster, but it does require very strong communication, interpersonal skills and a keen sense of where the "line" is to succeed. It can definitely work though. I witnessed a "powerless" congressional staffer tear apart a two star admiral on a simple subject the admiral was 1) wrong on, and 2) just taking the party line. After questions being thwarted by evasive non answers, the staffer said, "Don't worry, after this meeting I will provide you a question to which the answer can be "yes" or "no", and you will answer that question admiral". That admiral was fired by the deputy secretary of defense for acquisition about 4 months later.

Those that can do it seem to always get exploited and, because they enjoy the work, do it. When I was doing child protection investigations, my four coworkers averaged around 30 cases in progress. I averaged 55. My supervisor would come into my office and announce, "Another opportunity to serve." Yes, he was a commie pinko ex-hippie type from the '60s, but I never refused because a caseload that big was fulfilling for me.

I also applaud your decision and encourage you to continue to first recognize when and how you are mistreated and undervalued, and then to act out of self respect. Thank you for posting your story. It is inspiring to me.

For myself and another who can be named, Hoorah.

Wow ! Good for you !!
Will you let the Gulch know if anything further develops with this situation ? Do they come back to you with a better enticement ? Do they find someone else or just drop the project? Do you quit and become an independent contractor who charges 10xs as much since then you'd be responsible for all your benefits package ? Etc.

The sad thing is that this scenario seems so common that it almost goes unnoticed. I've been confronted with a similar dilemna just three weeks ago! But my life has been a little slow so I said: "Sure! But as an equal share equity partner."

Bravo! for coming to a fundamental realization in life. After all is said and done, quality of life is measured by the process; if your profession ceases to provide enjoyment, or produce fair positive reinforcement, saying no was the right thing to do. Whether or not that task would advance your career is beside the point. It clearly wouldn't make you happy. As Epicurus might have said: seek pleasure through your profession, as a way to live modestly and gain knowledge of the workings of the world...and the limits of your desires.

Bravo Abaco!
To "pick-and-choose" is the essence of freedom.
Gotta love that high that comes with saying, "NO".

Congratulations. Success. Hopefully they will come back and ask you what it will take for you to do the task -- assuming you want to do the task.