Stop Promoting Your Best People—or at Least Prepare Them Before You Do

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We all do it. An individual contributor is highly effective: they speak up in staff meetings, share novel ideas, execute on time and within scope, and seem to always have the capacity to take on one more assignment. Our common reaction? Let’s promote them to a leader! Unfortunately, these characteristics that make them so successful as an individual contributor aren’t the same ones that will make them successful as a frontline manager. Once promoted, many organizations don’t make the investment in preparing new managers to lead, so these employees are left on their own to figure it out. New managers feel an immense pressure to succeed, yet due to the lack of training in management skills, they often struggle.

We all do it. An individual contributor is highly effective: they speak up in staff meetings, share novel ideas, execute on time and within scope, and seem to always have the capacity to take on one more assignment. Our common reaction? Let’s promote them to a leader! Unfortunately, these characteristics that make them so successful as an individual contributor aren’t the same ones that will make them successful as a frontline manager. Once promoted, many organizations don’t make the investment in preparing new managers to lead, so these employees are left on their own to figure it out. New managers feel an immense pressure to succeed, yet due to the lack of training in management skills, they often struggle.

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Consider the different work of an individual contributor versus a manager:

Consider the different work of an individual contributor versus a manager:

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Individual Contributors

Individual Contributors

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  Understand goals and priorities.

  Understand goals and priorities.

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  Use time and resources effectively to solve assigned tasks.

  Use time and resources effectively to solve assigned tasks.

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  Solve problems related to their work.

  Solve problems related to their work.

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  Deliver results.

  Deliver results.

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  Expand their contribution by learning and growing professionally.

  Expand their contribution by learning and growing professionally.

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Managers

Managers

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  Set expectations for others.

  Set expectations for others.

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  Manage team relationships.

  Manage team relationships.

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  Deploy resources.

  Deploy resources.

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  Make decisions.

  Make decisions.

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  Communicate progress and issues.

  Communicate progress and issues.

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  Deliver on time.

  Deliver on time.

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  Develop others.

  Develop others.

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There are multiple reasons why large and small organizations regularly promote their highly effective individuals to managers. First, they assume that these multiskilled individuals will perform equally well working through others as contributing themselves. Second, they promote individuals to managers because a promotion offers greater financial rewards. Finally, most organizations believe promotions to management reward people for their stellar performance.

There are multiple reasons why large and small organizations regularly promote their highly effective individuals to managers. First, they assume that these multiskilled individuals will perform equally well working through others as contributing themselves. Second, they promote individuals to managers because a promotion offers greater financial rewards. Finally, most organizations believe promotions to management reward people for their stellar performance.

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Whether the individual is a manager of many or a team leader of a few, leading requires letting go of the day-to-day work that they have done so well as an individual contributor and instead encouraging production and achieving success through others. Training and development professionals are encouraged to help aspiring leaders prepare for their first role before they become leaders. Consider the following strategies.

Whether the individual is a manager of many or a team leader of a few, leading requires letting go of the day-to-day work that they have done so well as an individual contributor and instead encouraging production and achieving success through others. Training and development professionals are encouraged to help aspiring leaders prepare for their first role before they become leaders. Consider the following strategies.

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  Study great managers. There are great managers and lousy managers. We can learn from both. Identify two or three great managers and observe what makes them special. Interview them and discover their professional journey. Find a podcast or TED Talk that explores great leadership and identify the behaviors that can be incorporated into their persona.

  Study great managers. There are great managers and lousy managers. We can learn from both. Identify two or three great managers and observe what makes them special. Interview them and discover their professional journey. Find a podcast or TED Talk that explores great leadership and identify the behaviors that can be incorporated into their persona.

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  Separate the individual from their colleagues. If a promotion is at hand, prepare the individual by separating them from their colleagues. Having lunch together is fine but attending happy hours probably is not, at least until new relationships have been established.

  Separate the individual from their colleagues. If a promotion is at hand, prepare the individual by separating them from their colleagues. Having lunch together is fine but attending happy hours probably is not, at least until new relationships have been established.

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  Clarify expectations immediately . Upon being promoted, set clear expectations as a new manager. Identify what the boss expects: turnaround, status quo, new capabilities? Encourage the manager to be deliberate during their initial weeks as a new manager. Craft plans to achieve success. Meet with each team member to clarify expectations and communicate regularly on progress across the team.

  Clarify expectations immediately. Upon being promoted, set clear expectations as a new manager. Identify what the boss expects: turnaround, status quo, new capabilities? Encourage the manager to be deliberate during their initial weeks as a new manager. Craft plans to achieve success. Meet with each team member to clarify expectations and communicate regularly on progress across the team.

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Employees frequently view promotions to a managerial position as a positive career experience. However, many new managers find this transition to be more challenging than they had expected. Preparing them before they lead is key to helping new managers develop the skills and the mindset to lead through others.

Employees frequently view promotions to a managerial position as a positive career experience. However, many new managers find this transition to be more challenging than they had expected. Preparing them before they lead is key to helping new managers develop the skills and the mindset to lead through others.