'''Basic Trope''': A newly-promoted person begins throwing their weight around and acting arrogant to their colleagues, with bad results.
* '''Straight''': Alice gets a promotion and immediately [[BadBoss begins treating Bob and Carol like dirt]].
* '''Exaggerated''':
** Alice gets a promotion and immediately begins treating Bob and Carol like slaves, expecting them to carry her around on a throne and whipping them when they step out of line.
** WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity
** AGodAmI
** DrunkOnTheDarkSide, if the power is evil.
* '''Downplayed''': Alice gets a promotion and [[TookALevelInJerkass takes a level in Jerkass]], but otherwise still the same.
* '''Justified''': Working aside Bob and Carol for a long time has lead Alice to work up a lot of small frustrations and grudges against the two of them. But social convention and the fact that her job requires her to work along with Bob and Carol has lead Alice to always resolve to shallow these little moments of anger and pent it up instead in the name of getting along smoothly with them. Now that she does not have to do that any more, she decides to vent by taking it out on them.
** People beaten down by power don't inherently end up being decent people or learning to care for others because they know what tyranny feels like. In truth, many people are just as likely to end up learning the lesson that the only way to be valued is to be powerful and to stamp on the necks of others, because that's the only context they have for the nature of power. As such, when they finally get power themselves, [[HeWhoFightsMonsters they end up falling onto the same path as those who hurt them.]] This is especially true if [[IgnoredEpiphany they lack any capacity for self-reflection]] or aren't willing to face the uncomfortable truth of just how similar they really are to the powerful as flawed human beings who can easily become evil in the wrong circumstances.
* '''Inverted''':
** Alice, previously a bullying supervisor to Bob and Carol, is demoted, thus [[HumblePie forcing her to develop humility]].
** Alternatively: Alice gets a promotion, and suddenly everyone starts treating ''her'' like dirt.
** Alternatively: Alice, a {{Jerkass}} - but skilled - worker, is promoted and [[TookALevelInKindness becomes a nicer person]], since a supervisor would have to be polite.
** Alternatively: Alice, a {{Jerkass}} - but skilled - worker, is promoted and [[TookALevelInKindness becomes a nicer person]], [[ComesGreatResponsibility recognizing her new responsibility to those around her]].
* '''Subverted''':
** Alice is promoted, and everyone expects her to start throwing her weight around; instead, she acts as nice and friendly as she always has been.
** Alice is ''acting'' arrogant, [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex but it's all a front to keep everyone else from seeing that she's unsure of herself in her new position.]]
* '''Double Subverted''': Alice is promoted, and everyone expects her to start throwing her weight around; instead, she acts as nice and friendly as she always has been. Because [[ThePlan she's secretly plotting]] [[FrameUp to screw everyone over]] [[AmbitionIsEvil in order to get herself more power and influence]].
* '''Parodied''':
** Alice is given an extremely minor and insignificant promotion, causing her to throw her weight around to a ridiculous degree.
** Alternatively, Alice becomes ''literally'' drunk with power... In addition to being pushy and egotistical, her speech becomes slurred and she can't walk in a straight line. After she's demoted, she has a hangover.
** Alice's promotion results in her developing a [[AGodAmI God complex]].
** Alice begins acting like a [[CardCarryingVillain over-the-top supervillain]] after her promotion.
** It turns out that "throwing your weight around" is actually in her new job description and she apologizes for it.
** Alice literally drinks ''POWER'', which turns out to be a brand of alcoholic beverage, and [[LiteralMetaphor literally throws her weight around.]]
* '''Zig Zagged''': Alice gets a promotion. Now she's unpredictable.
* '''Averted''': Alice gets a promotion. Things continue much as they always have.
* '''Enforced''': "Wouldn't it be funny to see Alice become a complete tyrant? Let's give her a promotion!"
* '''Lampshaded''': "Who exactly thought promoting Alice was a good idea? She ''always'' goes mad with power whenever she's promoted."
* '''Invoked''': "Now that I've been promoted, I can finally do whatever I want around here!"
* '''Exploited''': Bob gets BitchInSheepsClothing Alice promoted so [[BeneathTheMask she'll show her true colours]] [[EngineeredPublicConfession with everyone to see it]].
* '''Defied''':
** "Come on, it's just a slightly different job; why would I let it change me that much?"
** Alice is given a thorough psychological screening before being given a promotion, which reveals she is not fit for it.
** Alice is told during her promotion's briefing that she will get an increase of scrutiny for the sake of operational oversight as well and that bosses are subject to zero tolerance. Alice decides she can't afford to risk getting fired and either refuses the promotion or doesn't let it go to her head.
** Alice's coworkers make clear that they will all accept whatever price comes from knocking her down a few pegs if she uses her new rank to treat them like slaves.
* '''Discussed''': "I don't care ''how'' sweet Alice usually is; this whole 'promotion' business is only going to end in tears for all of us."
* '''Conversed''': "Geez, is anyone in these stories capable of getting a promotion without turning into a complete asshat?"
* '''Deconstructed''':
** Alice's behaviour gradually isolates everyone she cared about and who cared about her, leaving her with nothing but her career success to validate her life. She soon discovers that it's LonelyAtTheTop and that she is miserable and alone, a failure despite her success.
** Bob lobbies for Alice's promotion, hoping she will become corrupt. She is promoted... and has a conscience much too scrupulous for her to abuse her power.
* '''Reconstructed''':
** Her success brings her a lot of money and power, and that's all she really cares about, so she's happy enough.
** Bob instead exploits her hidden resentment towards [[{{Jerkass}} her former colleagues]] to start her descent into corruption.
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???