Promoting High Performers: The Hidden Risks and Strategies for Success

Show Notes: Promoting High Performers: The Hidden Risks and Strategies for Success

Episode Summary:
Promoting top performers into leadership roles may seem like the natural next step, but what happens when they struggle—or worse, when they never wanted to lead in the first place? In this episode, we explore why great individual contributors don’t always make great leaders, how leadership requires an entirely different skill set, and what organizations can do to better prepare their people for leadership before handing them the title.

Drawing from a personal leadership mistake early in my career, I share how I promoted an exceptional performer into a leadership role—only to realize too late that I had set them up for failure. We’ll also discuss the Michael Jordan principle—why the greatest players aren’t always the best coaches—and how leaders can ensure they’re making the right decisions when it comes to promotions.

If you’re a leader responsible for hiring or promoting team members, this episode will give you practical strategies to assess readiness, develop future leaders, and create career growth paths that don’t force people into roles they don’t want.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why high performance in a role doesn’t automatically translate to leadership success
• How to identify whether someone wants to lead before promoting them
• Actionable ways to develop leaders before they step into leadership positions
• The difference between a Leadership Track and a Mastery Track and why every company should have both
• How to avoid treating leadership as a reward instead of a responsibility

Key Takeaways:

• Ask before you promote: Ensure your top performers actually want to lead and understand the challenges of leadership.
• Prepare leaders early: Use mentoring, shadowing, and leadership opportunities before promoting someone.
• Offer alternative career paths: Not everyone wants to manage people—some thrive in roles where they continue growing as individual contributors.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Let’s connect on LinkedIn: Colby's LinkedIn
• If you found value in this episode, subscribe and share it with another leader who could benefit.
• Looking for a leadership speaker or training for your organization? Contact Colby Here

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