Looking for the right employees to promote to a higher position in the company is one of the most challenging tasks leaders should do. Of course, your company wants to develop and promote only those employees who are likely to flourish and be successful in leadership positions. Below you will find a checklist that you can refer to when choosing employees for promotion.
#1 Are they among the best performers?
If an employee is poor at his or her current role, there is almost no chance that they will perform well in a higher position. With that said, you must know about the traits of the top employees from the different levels in the company. However, you shouldn’t think that being a top performer means having the potential to succeed in a leadership role.
#2 What do they have potential for?
There are various forms of potential and grouping employees according to these types is a good way of determining what their potential is for. Also, this method can help the organization identify who deserves to be developed and into which roles they should be promoted.
For instance, an employee who performs well in his current position but doesn’t have what it takes to be effective in a higher role is considered to have no potential. On the other hand, an employee who possesses great leadership qualities and has the technical skills to perform a specific higher role is considered an employee with high potential.
#3 Are their interests and goals related?
It is important to know if an employee is actually aiming for a higher position. It is possible for employees to just be satisfied with what they have achieved in their careers. Meanwhile, there are some employees who have the desire to advance in their careers but for the wrong reasons. If an employee is aiming for authority, higher status, and higher salary, he or she actually doesn’t have the right reasons to want a promotion. The kind of person you want to promote is someone who wants to serve others and help the organization reach new heights.
#4 Do they have the ability and willingness to learn new things?
Ideal candidates for promotion show willingness to change their behavior and improve their knowledge over time. They are also good at receiving positive feedback and are not hesitant to undergo mentoring to improve their skills. Finally, you want to find an employee who can learn new things quickly and apply their knowledge to work immediately. This is why organizations invest in employee training even through career coaching programs. Thus, the employee to receive such opportunities must give the organization the benefits by putting to good use whatever it is they will learn through the mentorship and training programs.