The Opportunity Most Companies Miss
Image: Shutterstock.
Talented, valued, promoted - and entirely unhappy.
Hard-working, a quick learner, loyal to the company - and looking for a new employer nonetheless.
Given a raise, new responsibilities, and a title bump - and making everyone else miserable.
Three scenarios with a shared root cause: not everyone wants to be a people manager.
But in most organizations, career advancement = moving from individual contributor to leader of team.
Compounding the challenge are a few factors:
People may not realize that they do not want to be managers until they have already accepted the promotion. For some, the realization may come later still.
All too often, new managers aren’t given much in the way of formal training - so they may actually have the potential to be great managers. But we seldom find out as they haven’t been set up succeed.
Without a supportive, safe culture, people are unlikely to say “I shouldn’t have got this particular promotion.” Or, indeed, “I’m not always great at giving people performance feedback - how can I improve?”
We have written about, coached for, and consulted on the best ways to vet and train managers. But this article looks at the challenge from a different angle.
What if we promoted people differently?
What if advancement did not automatically mean leading others?
Crucially, what does the career path of an ambitious and talented individual contributor look like?
Let’s dive in.
If the only example of advancement visible in your organization is traditional contributor-to-people-manager, it’s unlikely folks will break the mold. So take time to spotlight those who have advanced in other ways.
In the day-to-day, listen and learn from your team. “How are you getting on?” “What types of project do you most enjoy?” “Without making any promises, what sorts of opportunity would you like to see for yourself in the organization?” The answers may surprise you.
Encourage people to take ownership of different areas and specialities. Individual contributors can thrive with a little autonomy - and having someone become a subject matter expert can benefit all.
Consider which people end up project managing. Sometimes this type of important work falls to people managers by default. But an individual contributor can shine in managing projects - partly since they are not overburdened by people leadership.
Provide opportunities for mentorship - in both directions. Individual contributors who don’t want to people manage can be a flight risk when they don’t see their future within your organization. Connect them to mentors who might fill that role. Gauge whether they would consider mentoring others along the way, too - this can be rewarding in itself, but also pave the way for the next cohort of senior individual contributors as well.
Emphasize experiences and learning for all. How much can you provide travel opportunities for those interested? How about chances to speak at events or attend industry conferences? What are some ways to broaden and deepen learning opportunities? Further education and coaching - or even a subscription or two to an industry publication - can make all the difference.
A promotion should both challenge and reward - it shouldn’t drive a person to leave. Be thoughtful about how your people can advance and, remember, it’s not always in the ways you expect.
—
Ellie Hearne is an expert in strategy and culture and founder of Pencil or Ink. She has worked with dozens of industry-leading companies, one or two government agencies, and a handful of non-profits. She holds a Master’s from the University of St Andrews and a postgraduate diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, where she also teaches part-time on the Strategic Innovation program. She’s been quoted in The New York Times and the Irish Times on workplace communications and in Business Insider and Nasdaq on entrepreneurship. Ellie is also a parent, a dog person, and a half-hearted runner.