At first glance, promotion to a management role looks like the perfect way to thank your best workers and show them how important they are to you. However, it is not an ideal solution at all. On the contrary, it is very tricky. A good worker is certainly not always a suitable candidate for a management position. Before you decide to promote someone, you should know the answers to these seven questions.
1. Does the employee know your corporate goals and follow them?
As a manager, he will represent the company and its culture to his subordinates and maybe even to your customers. If your candidate for a management role has not become aligned with the corporate culture yet, the promotion will not help him.
2. Can he perceive the wider context?
A manager must be able to perceive the work of his team in the context of the whole company's objectives. He must also be able to explain the context to his people. If your candidate is only able to fulfill his daily tasks perfectly, but cannot see further, he is not likely to succeed as a manager.
3. Can he deal with people?
A perfect knowledge of modern technologies, marketing or other professional specialization is not enough. A manager should be able to communicate with people and motivate them to perform at their highest level. If your candidate cannot solve problems by talking with others, he is not the right one.
4. Can he listen?
The ability to listen is even more important than the ability to communicate verbally. A manager must listen to his subordinates and superiors at the same time, in order to solve their problems. If your candidate focuses more on himself than on others, it would be better to choose someone else.
5. Will he help your company grow?
A manager must bring a certain value not only to his team but to the entire company. His creative thinking and problem solving may, for example, help find new ways to solve old problems, streamline business processes, etc. If your candidate does not excel in creative thinking, you'd better keep looking for the best candidate.
6. Can he motivate a team?
A good manager knows what motivates the individual members of his team and how to get the best performance from them. If your candidate struggles to convince his colleagues, he will probably not be a good manager.
7. Does he want to become a manager?
This question is often forgotten and that is a big problem. Not every employee wants to be a manager. He may want to continue working as a specialist and not manage anybody. If your candidate does not want to become a manager, do not force him. Look for another, more suitable way to reward him.
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