When should a promotion to manager take place?

Sometimes we all feel that nowadays virtually anyone can occupy a management position in a company – regardless of the industry – and supervise a smaller or larger team (especially in the case of large companies with a very complex vertical and horizontal structure). However, not everyone will adequately perform in this role, due to a variety of factors: from too little experience, lack of sufficient communication skills, to inadequate understanding of one’s role (often resulting from personal beliefs).

The decision to promote an employee to a managerial position has significant consequences for both the organization and the selected individual, which is why it is so crucial to understand exactly when is the right time to take this step. Below we point out what factors matter most.

Key skills to promotion to manager

What qualities should distinguish a person who is to become a team leader, effectively manage the team and shoulder a lot of responsibility? Usually, attention is paid to the relevant work experience, and thus – sufficient knowledge and skills in the particular field (which, however, does not imply the necessity of having long work experience).

It is also typically expected that a candidate for a managerial position will have a proven track record of success in past tasks and projects. Still, no less important for effective team management are the following soft skills:

• Leadership – understood as the ability to motivate, inspire and support employees, manage conflicts, solve problems, give away responsibility, etc…,
Decision-making – a person applying for a management position should analyze the information received, assess risks and make decisions based on the available data, and then manage the consequences of their actions (both for the individual and the team and the organization as a whole),
• Communication – clearly expressing thoughts, actively listening and acting, delegating tasks with the right tone, and giving effective feedback are essential to building relationships with the team, and thus also to properly fulfill the role of a leader,
• Teamwork – the task of a leader is, among other things, to manage people, so a candidate for such a position should work seamlessly with others, recognize the strengths of those reporting to him and take care of the development of their potential.

What else matters with promotion to manager?

In the case of promotion to manager, it is also essential that a person with all the above-mentioned skills should desire to serve in such a role. Although for many a managerial position is a professional dream come true, not everyone realizes the responsibility that comes with it.

Awareness in this regard is fundamental- as is a willingness to continuously develop. After all, reaching the top position does not mean that one can stop educating oneself (leading and managing others requires continuous improvement and acquiring new skills). An employee should strive to invest time and effort in improving competencies, both through self-study and participation in various training, industry events and development programs.

How to prepare an employee for promotion to manager?

The employee should show potential in the areas mentioned together with the capability to employ those skills to influence others and achieve the organization’s goals. The point here is that as an employer you can effectively support an employee in preparing for promotion to manager. How?

Special managerial development programs (sometimes also in the form of leadership coaching sessions) that help develop the skills and knowledge needed to effectively manage a team is a great idea. The training provided to the employee may cover topics such as interpersonal communication, conflict management, team building and leadership skills. They also need the company’s support during the first weeks in the new role as they may feel overwhelmed by the current situation.

Promotion to manager – summary

The decision to promote a particular employee to manager should individually be very well-thought-out – based on a sound assessment of the candidate’s skills (hard and soft), experience and potential is key in this area.

It is also important that the person applying for a managerial position has the motivation and desire to perform the new role, as well as a passion for development (of themselves and the team they will manage). What’s more, the organization should provide support and adequate training to enable successful adaptation to the new position. Only this attitude and plan for managerial promotion can benefit both the organization and the employee, and ultimately forge the best possible team to achieve set business goals.

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