| p>Would it not be great if there were signs your | | | | stay in the field - bigger commission, increased perks, |
| employees wore on their heads that helped identify | | | | or larger territories - producing for the company. You |
| what they would be great at? You can walk through | | | | share the promotion path with everyone so that |
| your cubicle farm and see who would be best at | | | | they know their merit is rewarded beyond just |
| managing, sales, customer relations, negotiation, etc. | | | | management. |
| It would make some of the problems a company | | | | At the same time you start to identify early on |
| experiences disappear and others minimal at their | | | | those individuals who fit best into management. From |
| worst. | | | | their first day on the job you can test and track |
| Well you cannot have the signs, but you can have | | | | your employees to see who fits best in |
| something that will keep your organization staffed | | | | management. Yes there is a performance component |
| correctly: a plan. | | | | and most leaders demonstrate their leadership |
| Out With The Old Method | | | | through their actions. They also possess emotional |
| You know the old method and how it turns out. | | | | intelligence, situational awareness, and a desire to |
| People who are excellent at demonstrating their skills | | | | coach others for improved performance. They have |
| in their chosen career paths are promoted to the | | | | a desire to lead. These individuals should be tracked, |
| next level. Unfortunately they fail at that next level. | | | | challenged, and based on their merit promoted into |
| The example that most people know is that of the | | | | management positions. |
| stellar salesperson who gets promoted to sales | | | | Case Study |
| manager. The skills they have demonstrated in the | | | | A company that has broken the "Promote Star |
| field - meaning an excellent record at closing sales - | | | | Performers" mentality to career advancement is |
| do not translate into the leadership needed to coach | | | | Stryker. This medical device manufacturer learned a |
| manage a team of salespeople. This is the same for | | | | while back that star performers do not translate to |
| the best researcher, human resources interviewer, | | | | being excellent/start managers. In fact they tend to |
| and/or quality engineer. | | | | fail in that position and wreck not only their careers |
| Why does this old method happen? Companies like to | | | | but others as well. Stryker set out to promote |
| reward effort and merit. They should. It is in the | | | | differently. |
| American work ethic that hard work and toil are we | | | | Stryker created incentives and other paths for |
| rewarded. A meritocracy at its best is what a | | | | promotion to keep their star performers engaged. |
| company represents. The next logical step is | | | | Management was no longer the only path to |
| management. Or is it? | | | | increased pay/responsibilities; instead it was one of |
| Create Multiple Paths For Promotion | | | | many to choose from. Stryker also tests those |
| What if your company rewarded increased challenges | | | | individuals identified early to be on the management |
| and responsibilities without promoting a stellar | | | | track. These individuals are tested to see if they |
| performer into management? What if you built a new | | | | have the right stuff to be managers. Being a stellar |
| promotion plan that identified leaders early and | | | | performer is not enough to get you promoted to |
| groomed them while keeping the most successful | | | | manager, you have to be able to lead. |
| people where they excel at in their current roles? | | | | The result for Stryker has been amazing. Their stellar |
| What if you rewarded merit differently? | | | | performers stay in the field strengthening their |
| The answer is that you can and your company will | | | | relationships and bringing much needed revenue into |
| be successful at it. The first thing you must do is to | | | | the company. These individuals are challenged and |
| be resolved to break the current cycle: | | | | desire to stay in their roles. Meanwhile those that are |
| performance-based promotion to management. Yes, | | | | promoted to management have been rigorously |
| it works, but it also comes with a slew of headaches | | | | screened and set up for success in their new roles. |
| heartaches when it fails. Which is a large portion of | | | | These individuals have what it takes to lead their |
| the time. Instead you should have | | | | teams resulting in a low turnover rate. |
| performance-based promotion into increased | | | | Your Choice |
| challenges for the current role. | | | | Take a look at where your company is now. How |
| This new method means that you must have a | | | | does it promote people and how often do those |
| promotion plan. Take a star salesperson; this person | | | | promotions work out? What is really in the best |
| exceeds the quota day in and day out. In a typical | | | | interest for your company: promoting star |
| company they would be promoted to a management | | | | performers or keeping them where they are the |
| position. They typically fail because they enjoy being | | | | best benefit for your business? |
| in contact with the customer and closing the sale. | | | | These are tough decisions and the easiest thing to |
| Beside your company is removing a major channel of | | | | do is stick with the status quo. Breaking from the |
| revenue from the field. Instead this stellar | | | | latter, though, will set your company up for the best |
| salesperson can be given numerous incentives to | | | | possibilities of success. |