Are you promoting the ‘right’ talent?

Career growth and promotion are ambitions most people pursue, so it's no surprise that organisations make it a priority to recognise and advance deserving talent. However, the methods used to pinpoint "the right talent" often raise eyebrows. When left vague or handled poorly, this can stir doubts about management's intentions and the fairness of the promotion process.

The key to finding the right people to promote boils down to two vital factors: performance and potential. In other words, promotions should go to those with a proven track record and clear promise. Anything less may rub employees the wrong way and could land the organisation in a tricky spot – a "double-edged sword." Here, the phrase refers to the fact that mishandling talent promotions can harm the company in two major ways.

First, new talent will look elsewhere. When potential hires see that a company repeatedly promotes the wrong individuals, it reflects poorly on the company culture. This signals favouritism, a lack of meritocracy or weak leadership, all of which make the organisation unattractive to skilled candidates who seek recognition and fair treatment.

Second, existing talent may walk away. When hard-working, qualified employees see less-deserving or underqualified peers advance, it's demoralising. Over time, this lack of recognition drives people to look for jobs where their contributions are valued, leading to higher turnover among the company's best.

In short, mishandling promotions is a lose-lose scenario as it repels prospective talent and pushes the best existing talent out the door. For this reason, promoting the wrong people is a double-edged sword, cutting both ways.

Mishandling promotion is a lose-lose scenario, as it repels prospective talent and pushes the best existing talent out the door. For this reason, promoting the wrong people is a double-edged sword, cutting both ways.

At times, promotions are granted due to line manager bias or their over-reliance on specific individuals. While this is understandable when niche skills are involved, it becomes a problem if a manager's lack of confidence in their abilities leads them to lean on certain coworkers, advancing someone who isn't yet ready. This kind of favouritism doesn't just block more seasoned or capable employees from progressing but can breed frustration across teams, especially among those with solid track records.

A classic example of the double-edged sword effect in action is Uber's leadership crisis under former CEO Travis Kalanick. Despite impressive growth, Uber cultivated a toxic work culture by promoting individuals whose aggressive behaviour clashed with values like ethical leadership and respect. 

This put off new talent, as the company's reputation grew as a harsh environment, and pushed high-performing employees to leave due to dissatisfaction. The fallout led to Kalanick's resignation in 2017 and forced Uber to overhaul its leadership and culture to repair the damage.

While promoting young talent with unique expertise can be beneficial, this should always be done within a transparent framework. Quick promotions may bring short-term wins, but if handled poorly, they can backfire. 

Although promoting results-driven individuals can bring swift success, this often comes at a cost if there's no balance between immediate wins and long-term leadership goals. Without a structured approach, the organisation risks a leadership crisis, reputational harm and the loss of key talent as its culture erodes.

Ultimately, promoting those who not only deliver results but also align with the organisation's values and long-term goals is essential. A transparent promotion framework fosters fairness, upholds trust and protects the company from the pitfalls of hasty or misjudged advancement decisions.