Choosing the best candidate for a promotion can be more complex than promoting the employee who has been with the company the longest. Here are a few methods to ensure you make the best possible choice.
Consider Many Different Types of People
Even when we have the best intentions, subconscious bias can sometimes interfere with making impartial decisions regarding hiring and promoting employees. It’s essential to be intentional about considering many different types of individuals to combat this.
If the mental image you have of the new CFO is an outgoing older white man, you may completely overlook the quieter young Black woman who would be a perfect fit for the role. In addition, her diverse voice and perspective may be just what your company needs to hit record sales next quarter.
Check your internal biases at the door, and your company and leadership team will be stronger for it.
Verify That They Have the Necessary Leadership Skills
Thriving in their current role is not necessarily an indicator that an individual should get promoted to a management position. In addition to being able to succeed at the work they do for the company, they should also be able to work well with other team members, collaborate with those who have different opinions, and create a vision for the future.
Those with excellent interpersonal skills and dynamic ideas will be a great fit for a management position.
Confirm That They Want the Promotion
It can be tempting to promote the individual in your department who has been there the longest, has the most experience, or has the highest stats. This promotion system, known as The Peter Principle, can weaken your business.
This is because these individuals may be perfectly content in their current role and not want to move towards a managerial position. This person may accept the promotion not because they want it but because they feel it’s the only way to receive a pay raise.
To prevent this from happening, it’s essential to create avenues of progress for those who don’t wish to move into management roles. If Jenny from sales is the top seller in her department, there’s no reason her pay should stagnate just because she doesn’t want to become a department head.
It’s important to ensure that you choose the best candidate for the promotion, so take the time to consider candidates beyond those who have been in the role the longest.
