The Myth of the Automatic Promotion: Why Great Doers Aren’t Always Great Leaders

In the professional world, it is common to observe a trend where individuals are promoted based on their technical skills or length of service. For instance, the most successful sales representative is given a managerial position, a skilled programmer is appointed as a team leader and a loyal employee is gradually promoted within the organization. However, the question arises whether this method always results in the most effective leaders.

It’s important to note that being successful in your current position doesn’t always translate to success as a manager, leader, or coach. The skills required for these roles can vastly differ from those needed for individual technical contributions. An excellent engineer may excel in the technical aspect of their job, while a manager may have strength in communication, team motivation, and strategic decision-making. This difference is even apparent in legendary athletes like Diego Maradona or Wayne Gretzky, who struggled when transitioning to coaching positions despite dominating their sports¹.

The widespread belief in automatic promotion can negatively impact individuals and organisations. This assumption often results in employees being placed in roles that don’t align with their strengths, leading to frustration and underperformance. Additionally, it can prevent exceptional leaders from being recognised and promoted due to company politics, status quo bias or a focus on seniority.

This can limit their potential and deprive the organisation of their valuable leadership skills. This scenario could also lead to demotivation across the workforce, as dedicated and skilled employees see that technical expertise and hard work are not always the primary factors for career advancement, which could ultimately harm overall morale and engagement.

Even though technical expertise and experience are undoubtedly valuable skills, it is crucial to acknowledge that in certain leadership positions, primarily at senior levels within an organisation, possessing profound technical expertise might not be the most vital factor for success. For instance, in hospital management, numerous CEOs or presidents do not have a medical background but are proficient in leading the organisation through robust business acumen, strategic vision, and efficient communication skills.

Similarly, in the field of cybersecurity, a manager can still be successful even without hands-on technical experience in every area of their leadership. Certifications such as CISSP and CISM offer a solid understanding of cybersecurity concepts and best practices. A leader with these certifications, along with excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and effective team management, can still drive success even if they haven’t personally performed every technical task their security professionals handle. It is important to remember that a professional who is fully certified with CISSP/CISM not only clears the exam but also fulfils the experience requirements to obtain full certification.

Moreover, a crucial trait of a good manager is to identify the unique strengths of each team member and utilise them to their maximum potential to achieve organisational objectives.

The key takeaway is to ensure a good match between the required skill set and the specific leadership role. So, how can we achieve this?

If you aim for a promotion, it is not enough to rely solely on your achievements or tenure in your current position. You need to actively identify the skills that are crucial for the new role and work towards developing them.
If you are in a managerial position and are responsible for making promotion decisions, you should focus on the complete skillset required for the new role. This could be technical understanding in some cases or strong leadership and communication abilities in others. You should not simply reward loyalty or past success. Instead, provide development opportunities and invest in your people proactively.

It is crucial to dispel the notion that every exceptional individual contributor possesses the natural inclination to become an excellent leader. Recognising that there is a learning curve can benefit both employees and organisations alike. Furthermore, consistent studies indicate that employees do not leave bad jobs but instead depart from bad managers. Inadequate management practices, the absence of support and recognition, and toxic work environments directly contribute to dissatisfaction and attrition².

Prioritising the development of well-rounded leaders who emphasize communication, support, and the creation of a positive work culture can establish a more engaged and productive work environment, ultimately leading to the overall success of the organisation.

1. 35 Elite Athletes Who Failed As Coaches – Sport Scroll ↩︎
2. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/506819/half-employees-looking-leave.aspx) ↩︎