5 Things to Consider Before Promoting Someone into Management

Excerpt from the book, Evergreen Talent (Career Press, 2020). Write to me at [email protected] if you'd like a pdf of this article.

Leaders promote people into management for a variety of reasons, many of which do not make sense. These reasons range from “She’s been with the company the longest” to “We don’t have anyone else who understands the software.” Sometimes, company management assumes that a top salesperson will automatically be a top leader of the sales department. Rarely is this the case.

When this doesn’t work out, the organization may wind up losing a great salesperson—plus many of the people who work for that new leader.

 Consider the following before you promote someone into a leadership position.

1. Desire. This comes first, because if someone doesn’t really want a leadership role, the rest of the list doesn’t matter. Great leadership requires authenticity. You cannot fake enjoying being in a leadership role. You have to really want the job.

2. Aptitude. The capacity and readiness to lead others must be scrutinized when promoting people into leadership roles. Younger people are often passed over for leadership roles because of preconceived notions that age is correlated with capability and management readiness, while mature workers are promoted without thoughtful consideration of their aptitude for the job. Think about this before you promote your next employee.

3. Traits. The traits or competencies necessary to be successful in a leadership role vary, depending on the level of the position and the industry. Look at your most successful leaders. What traits do they have in common? Does the employee you are considering for promotion possess similar traits? If not, how difficult will it be for this person to succeed in a management role in your company?

4. Attitude. It’s not easy coming to work every day with a smile on your face and a can-do attitude when you may be overworked or when business is on a downward trend. Yet, this is exactly what a good leader must do. Does the person you are about to promote have a positive outlook about life in general? If not, take a pass on this person.

5. Stamina. Not everyone has the fortitude to be a leader. You have to be willing and able to step in and do the job of others, if they should move on to greener pastures. You must be able to multitask, carry the load, and switch gears at a moment’s notice. Low-energy people need not apply.

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