Case Study #20: The Right Time for Promotion

"I want promotion. Now."

Promote or not promote?

Leaders often wonder when the time is right for promotions. When:

• is there an empty chair?

• Do people threaten them by leaving?

• Do they prove to be loyal to the team?

You may have heard this before: “Not now.” It could be demotivating to go the extra mile that never ends. That was how Ashley felt:

Ashley worked in the company for four years. From the beginning, she was the rockstar of the team. With minimum training, she was able to find information, set processes, and pull weight. The team liked her and respected her.

Three years passed, and a management seat opened. Yet, Ashley did not get the job. She even could not apply for the job. The new manager was appointed without an open hiring. She felt she did enough to at least have an interview.

Inevitably, she asked herself when was the right time for promotion.

Have you ever asked such a question?

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When there is a place

Corporate companies often work with a seat system. They break agendas into positions, and these need to be filled.

One chair is empty = and one person comes in.

But what if you’re sitting on multiple chairs? The narrative for promotion and career path is presented:

• You need to go the extra mile.

• You need to prove yourself.

• You need to be loyal.

But from experience, people don’t get the promotion when they are ready, but rather when there is an open position. This system sucks, but it is not rare.

It is not uncommon for people to end up in management positions because there is no other choice. You must become a team leader to get access to a higher salary.

Let’s be honest. Money matters. But the motivation makes a difference.

Some crave management positions and aim for them. Others would be happy with what they do, but the career path does not allow them to continue like that.

I call it a career accident. You wanted to be a knowledge manager, but you landed a team manager job instead. Now, swim and enjoy.

The place system does not always reflect well different career paths. The chair system often hinders the development of loyal employees and demotivates talents.

When you’re ready