Is Your Employee Ready to be a Manager?

Is Your Employee Ready to be a Manager?

A mistake that many start-ups and SME’s make is in promoting staff simply too fast. I say it’s a mistake for start-ups and SME’s because if I were to generalise, I know other commentators would simply say “it’s a millennial thing” – this wanting to climb fast – but I disagree. It applies equally to my generation (I was once an eager, overly-enthusiastic cog in the machinery, keen to climb that ladder – and I did, fast too) as well as the generations before me. As human beings, we seek progress, and for many of us, cross-generational, that equates in part, to promotions at the workplace.

So back to start-ups and SME’s – a smaller team, more interaction, possibly more micro-managing. With a smaller team comes the fear of external professionals entering the tight-knit workplace community and overshadowing others; hence the model of promoting from within and hiring at the lowest levels, becomes an easy to practice norm. I know, for I have done just that on many occasions – not only for practical purposes of maintaining morale and balance, but also for trust reasons.

The question however is not whether we should model our promotion based on these factors, but rather, when is the right time to promote a team member internally, and how do we as entrepreneurs, handle this transition through training, support, and the process of adding responsibility?

We need to consider several factors – does the Job Title outweigh other job factors (eg; achievement, financial, camaraderie); what is our team members’ realistic learning curve; and ultimately, are we setting this person up as our protégés because we want them to be, or is it the right, medium-to-long-term decision for the business? Not every employee wants to stay long-term – some seek to get a variety of experience, and internal promotion conflicts with their ultimate goal of achieving industry-wide experience (and recognition). These are hard questions, but they are also particularly relevant questions, as our goal is always a blend of strategic business practice and team member respect. Walking that tightrope can be tough.

So, when becomes the right time to promote a team member internally? Should we make them compete against outsiders for the opportunity? Let’s work through this.

The right time is always when they are ready. As an entrepreneur, my strategy is to “turn up the screws” slowly, step-by-step, to see whether the person is ready. Let the job title follow the increase in responsibility, rather than it be a knee-jerk approach of promotion then increased responsibility. Keep it organic, slowly growing the team members skills, and letting them take autonomy in responsibility, and have a hand in their position direction. By the time you announce a promotion, the cries of “I’m not sure that I’m ready” can be met with “well, you’ve been doing it for the past three (3) months” – sometimes a great confidence booster. 

I find this approach ideal for small teams – it helps build the team, the team members’ self-confidence, and the promotion (and associated increase in benefits) is a reward for proven work. It also reduces performance stress of the individual, as they don’t get bogged down in the “can I handle this?” mentality which is too often associated with promotions. The counter; during the process, they may feel that they could be taken advantage of. A legitimate concern is they could feel their workload increasing – hence, it needs to be an organic process over a few months.

If we intend to do a pure promotion and ask for applicants, including internal, we pit our team members against outsiders, and this can be disconcerting within a team. Knowing that the boss wants to consider me, but is asking outsiders to participate, by default implies that I have already been put out of the picture – for why would they seek outside involvement if I am already the right candidate? This can affect morale. 

It is a challenge, and the answer, at least for smaller business units, it to take a very organic and measured approach – continue to build your team and support them with training, new opportunities, etc, along the way.

Now let’s address the issue of promotion to Manager. The position of Manager has requisite skillsets which are not part of lower level positions, and may not have formed part of the position experience for staff in a smaller business. This needs specific training, plus many will say; a predisposition towards leadership. Well, yes and no! In an SME environment, simply because of the very nature of the business, and the fluidity of responsibility, chances are the team member will be constantly immersed in opportunity for leadership development. The relative autonomy that comes through working in smaller businesses means employees tend to step up to the plate a lot more readily than in a traditionally structured or hierarchical organisation. This, is the training ground.

As such, entrepreneurs should feel more confident that a certain team member seeking promotion to Manager probably has embedded themselves in the skills, and ultimately is more able to handle the new responsibility.

The issue is timing! Promotion needs to be proven to have been earned. Don’t promote as a trade-off for a salary increase, or because you feel guilty that the person isn’t getting a new job title every six months; promote because the person is ready and they can continue to contribute positively to the organisation with their new responsibilities.

Anyhow, for some additional thoughts on this, take a look at the following article from Harvard Business Review (HBR) by Rebecca Knight. Whilst I don’t see eye-to-eye on every point, the context and broad approach is part of every entrepreneur’s journey in developing their own skills in managing teams and people.

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You have an ambitious team member who’s asking to be promoted to manager. He’s great at his job, but is he really ready to lead? How do you judge his skills and experience? What’s the best way to measure his potential?

What the Experts Say

As a manager, you’re always on the lookout for the next generation of talent in your organisation. But trying to figure out whether a particular direct report is management material is not always straightforward, says Anna Ranieri, executive coach and author of the forthcoming Connecting the Dots: Telling the Story to Advance Your Career. “It requires different skills to manage than to be an individual contributor,” she says. “And since you want your decision to promote to be the right one, you wonder, ‘How do I make a sure enough bet?’” The good news is that, “people can develop their capacity to lead,” says Linda Hill, professor at Harvard Business School and the coauthor of Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader. “What you’re looking for is behavioral evidence that this person has the potential and talents to manage.” If you’re successful in the evaluation stage, you’ll be in a better position to “anticipate the person’s weaknesses so you can help onboard him into a management role when the time comes.” Here are some ways to go about it.

Gauge Interest

A good starting point, according to Ranieri, is to determine whether your ambitious direct report is, in fact, “interested in,” and, “geared toward management,” and not just “going through the motions, and thinking that she’s been at the organisation a certain number of years so it’s time for a promotion.” The best way to find out is to ask her. “Say, ‘Do you want to be in management? What’s your view of what that means? And what makes you think you would be good for that kind of role?’” Of course, notes Hill, you must “pay attention to what the person has done, not just what she says.” Ask yourself, “Have I ever seen an instance where this candidate took on a leader-like role, not just a star performer role?” You should also try to figure out whether the person has “the right motivation to want to lead,” which Hill defines as the desire to “shape the context and coach others.”

Assess Experience

Hill then recommends finding out what other management experiences the person has had. After all, roles like captaining a college field hockey team or editing a school literary magazine provide valuable leadership experience. She also suggests asking, “How do you spend your time outside of work? Perhaps this person volunteers and recently ran a campaign for a nonprofit. That shows she likes to mobilise others and lead.” Having the experience is key, but you’re also looking for evidence of growth, says Ranieri. “It’s important to test the person on his people skills and self-knowledge,” she says. The goal is to identify, “how he inspires others to work hard and give it their best. Ask, ‘What made you believe you were successful in that role?’”

Test Organisational Know-How

Once you have a sense of the aspiring manager’s interest level and past experience, you need to get a handle on her “understanding of the organisation—its culture, its needs, and where she thinks it’s going,” says Ranieri. “If you think her opinions are inaccurate [or disagree with her assessment], it’s appropriate to push back or at least continue the conversation,” she says. “Maybe you will learn something.” Raneiri suggests asking the candidate to provide examples of current managers who are successful and—without naming names—cite ways in which other executives could improve. Your goal is judge whether this candidate understands the role and find out how she would run this particular team. It’s also important to evaluate the candidate’s contextual intelligence or CQ, says Hill. “Can he see the big picture? Can he connect the dots? Can he think systemically?” CQ, according to Hill, is a critical component of leadership “given the complexity of management today. Without it, you have trouble prioritising and thinking about what your group should be working on, not just what it could be working on.”

Seek Other Opinions

Even if the ultimate hiring decision is yours, Ranieri suggests you discuss the prospective manager’s potential with other colleagues and fellow team leaders. Your inquiry needn’t be stealth. Ranieri recommends asking the candidate for references by saying something like, “‘I would like to talk to other people who’ve seen you act in a managerial way.’ This gives the individual time to seek out colleagues and remind them of examples [that speak to] his management potential.” It’s imperative, says Hill, to “solicit feedback from a range of individuals” in the business. She recommends paying special attention to what the candidate’s close associates have to say. “Maybe the bosses are happy, but peers tell a different story,” she says. That’s valuable information.

Observe

It’s also important to observe your ambitious report in action, says Ranieri. Notice whether she is “a person who comes to staff meetings and has ideas not only about her tasks but also about other things going on in the organisation.” In other words: does she have a vision for the company and “is she someone who wants to have a broader reach?” Think about your impressions of this person. Is she curious? Is she a learner? When she faced setbacks, did she exhibit resilience? Who does she go to for assistance? Is she a loner or does she have a network? If you don’t see evidence of the traits you’re looking for or you remain uncertain of her capabilities, Hill suggests providing “little experiences” that will prepare her for a leadership role. You might, for instance, ask your report to lead an upcoming project. Or suggest she spearhead a new initiative. “Encourage the person to take the opportunity to practice these skills,” she says.

Heed Red Flags


When evaluating management potential, there are certain negative characteristics to be on the lookout for, according to Hill. Beware of those who are not open to feedback. And think twice about candidates “who very rarely take into account other people’s points of view.”  Try to determine whether or not the person exhibits professional courage. “If he won’t stretch himself, to me, that show he is not ambitious enough,” she says. Also look out for those who are not generous. “A person who doesn’t work well with other people and who thinks he’s smarter than, or better than, others,” does not make for a good manager. “You want leaders who give credit freely, who acknowledge the achievements of others, who don’t punish people for their foibles, and who are willing to help.”

Have Faith

The thing is, “no one is going to score a perfect 10,” says Hill. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you’re “measuring a person’s potential” and determining whether someone is ready to be a boss isn’t a perfect science. Ranieri points out that it’s also helpful to remember your own experience. “Think back to when you took on your first managerial role or your first big project,” she says. “Maybe you weren’t sure you could do it. But someone took a leap of faith on you. Even if you weren’t 100% successful the first time, you eventually got there.” Besides, if you do decide to promote this ambitious colleague, she won’t be jumping without a safety net. “It’s your job to help other people develop.”

Principles to Remember

Do

- Ask the candidate what she thinks management entails and how she would manage a team.

- Try to evaluate a candidate’s people skills, including empathy and self-knowledge.

- Get a sense of the candidate’s grasp of the organisation by asking her how she views its culture, needs, and direction.

Don’t

- Overlook a candidate’s management experiences outside of work; leading an athletic team or a squad of volunteers provides solid leadership practice.

- Ignore red flags. If a person isn’t curious or doesn’t work well with others, reconsider his candidacy.

- Forget that someone earlier in your career showed faith in you. If you believe the candidate has the potential and talent to lead, help her develop.

Inspiration: Is Your Employee Ready to be a Manager?

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