Is it appropriate for management to ask me to “check” with specific future direct reports before promoting me?

I have been with a company a little under a year and an opening that would be a promotion on our team team – in fact – 2 jobs opened up. When I asked to apply I was told to check with specifically one (there’s maybe 5 total so one was singled out) of my possible direct reports by the hiring manager before I could apply. When we talked, he said he was interested in one of the jobs as well and as there were two positions I encouraged he apply as well and told the hiring manager he had an interest and it sounded like we’d support each other if one or both of us got the job(s).

He approached the hiring manager – said it was awkward – and didn’t apply due to reasons I’m not privy to. I still interviewed and then no one talked to me about it for weeks and told they had a ton of other candidates so I assumed I was interviewed as a courtesy and forgot about it. 3 weeks after the initial interview got notice I was going to be moved on and would interviewed by some potential direct reports including the colleague they made me “check with” – then I was told to say nothing until they were spoken to about my candidacy ahead of my interview – which was also really cloak and dagger.

I said nothing, but the colleague I mentioned earlier confronted me because he saw the interview on our manager’s calendar. Then I sort of walked stuff back since they’d not had a chance to talk and I didn’t want detail to slip before the manager had spoken to them. He and I ended that conversation with him being supportive. He then confronted the manager and said he was not comfortable with me managing him and never gave me a real
Blessing to interview unless he was promoted to one of the positions with me and the hiring manager was apparently very upset and seemed upset with me for bitching this whole thing by confirming my interview and trying to walk it back. I now have a 1:1 with the hiring manager at 9am Monday so my weekend is shot – can I lose my job over this? I assume I’m getting pulled from the running, but part of me feels this is on management for putting me in the position to seek permission from a possible direct report to interview in the first place. Also, HR has not been involved at all. Just this hiring manager and me so I don’t know if this is like even official. I’m dreading Monday.

Can I be fired for this? Can I lose out on the opportunity?



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