(Time to read this Blog article is about 60 seconds)
Most businesses talk about the importance of creating a career path for their best people and promoting from within. But in my experience there are six approaches to promoting from within…and most of them are ineffective. Which of these sounds most like your business?
- We identify those with the talent and desire to take on additional responsibility and start training, coaching and encouraging them immediately. We help them develop management skills and experience, people skills and judgement. We expose them to new challenges and situations and we listen to their suggestions. Then we promote them when they’re ready and continue to coach, train, support and encourage them.
- We identify those with the talent and desire to take on additional responsibility. We promote them, as needed, and then train, coach and encourage them ‘on the fly’.
- We identify those with the talent and desire to take on additional responsibility. We promote them as needed and then let them figure it out on their own. They’ll either sink or swim…and that’s life.
- We take talented ‘doers’ and promote them when an opening occurs, whether or not they’re ‘wired’ or interested to be a manager. We assure them that it will all be fine and leave them to figure it out.
- The person in the department with the highest seniority automatically gets promoted whether or not they have the ability and desire. Their lack of ability to do the job is irrelevant. The business culture, union contract or desire to be politically correct mandates this approach.
- When there’s a promotion available, a family member or the bosses ‘favourite’ will automatically get the job, regardless of ability.
So, be honest, which one of these six approaches to ‘promoting from within’ sounds most like your business? Which one makes the most sense as a strategy to grow your business, your team and your bottom line? What action needs to be taken? Who will take it…starting when?
