Be wary of promoting the wrong skill sets

In our industry, promotions are often based on individual success. Being great at what you do is very important. But, being a skilled writer, art director, strategist, account person, etc., does not necessarily translate into being a great manager. The world is full of examples of talented individuals who have struggled to translate those skills into being great managers.

Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player of all time, but he was not a very good head coach. Phil Jackson was an NBA role player who averaged 6.7 points per game as a player but is arguably one of the greatest coaches of all time. High individual achievers can struggle to understand why others around them can’t just do what they do. This leads to frustration and employee dissatisfaction.

Sometimes those who may be good or even very good are better able to translate the experiences from having had a slightly different path into being an incredible mentor or coach. As an industry, too much focus has been placed on the outcome of the work, and not enough time or resources have been put into prepping talent with the requisite skills to be great leaders.

Consider internal growth versus looking externally

I have no data to support this assertion, but it represents a belief of mine: Companies that have low turnover, great culture, and are continuously growing are companies that prioritize promoting from within (especially with roles and opportunities that are more senior).

Promoting from within sends so many positive signals to your team. It shows that hard work will be rewarded, acknowledges that the people in the building are the ones who have helped build and grow a company, and it also represents continuity within the organization. As a manager, I’ve prioritized trying to build teams from the bottom up. Finding great talent, working with them, investing in them, and getting them to a place where they are ready to be promoted. When they are promoted, hiring someone underneath them to allow for management experience and keeps a high standard in place.

Talent is one of the biggest differentiators for how businesses grow. Finding the right fits, putting those people in the right roles, and creating an atmosphere that will allow them to thrive. If you can do that, you’ll be multiple steps ahead of the competition and well-positioned to grow your business. You’ll save money by not having to rehire and retrain, and that saved money can be invested in other areas that will continue to accelerate your growth.