Avoid the Promotion Pitfall: Why Promoting Your Best Isn't Always Best (Without Preparation)
- Alex Wanstrath
- Jul 6
- 6 min read
You've got them: the rockstar individual contributor who consistently smashes targets, the technical wizard who solves every problem, the quiet powerhouse whose work speaks for itself. Naturally, when a leadership role opens up, they're the first person who comes to mind. You promote them, confident that their individual brilliance will translate seamlessly into leading a team.
But what if this seemingly smart move is actually a setup for failure? What if this promotion, intended as a reward, inadvertently transforms your top talent into an overwhelmed, struggling manager, disengaging their team in the process? This is the often-overlooked "Promotion Pitfall," a common scenario where good intentions lead to negative outcomes for the individual, their team, and the entire organization.
The Alarming Truth: Unprepared Leaders Are Falling
The data is clear; many organizations are inadvertently sabotaging their most promising talent. The common practice of promoting high-performing individual contributors (ICs) to management based solely on their technical prowess, without adequate preparation, is creating a crisis in leadership.
Consider these sobering statistics:
A Staggering Lack of Training: "Almost 60% of first-time managers report never receiving any training when they transition into a people leader role" (Center for Creative Leadership, 2024). Furthermore, a broader look reveals that "82% of those who become managers have little to no training or qualification" (RDL Training, 2025). This means the vast majority of new managers are thrown into the deep end without even basic swimming lessons.
High Failure Rates: The consequences of this unpreparedness are dire. Research shows that "between 50% and 70% of leaders, whether hired from outside or promoted from within, fail within the first 18 months in their new roles" (ElectroIQ, 2025). This isn't just a personal setback; it's a significant organizational cost.
The Struggle is Real: The transition is profoundly challenging. "60% of managers struggle in their first year, often due to the challenge of shifting from individual contributor to people leader" (Vorecol HRMS, 2024). The skills that made them excellent individual contributors – focused, independent work, technical expertise – are fundamentally different from those required to lead, delegate, coach, and motivate others. As Blanchard and Blanchard (2016) eloquently put it, we often "wait to train our new managers," leaving them to navigate this complex shift alone.
The Rippling Effect: Disengaged Employees and High Turnover: The impact extends far beyond the struggling manager. Poor leadership directly affects the entire team. "82% of employees believe poor leadership leads to disengagement, making them consider quitting their jobs" (eLearning Industry, 2025). When managers are overwhelmed and ineffective, their teams become disengaged, leading to decreased productivity, low morale, and ultimately, higher turnover. This creates a costly cycle where the company loses not only the struggling manager but also valuable team members.
For employees, this pitfall manifests as frustration. They report feeling that their new manager "doesn't understand what they're going through" (Center for Creative Leadership, 2024). For managers, it's a crushing burden, with many describing the challenges of this career transition as second only to "dealing with divorce" (Numly, 2020).
Why the Pitfall Occurs: A Fundamental Misunderstanding
The core reason for the Promotion Pitfall lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes a great leader. We often assume that an individual contributor’s technical mastery or personal drive will automatically equip them to lead people. However, leadership requires a completely different skill set and mindset:
From "Doing" to "Enabling": A key shift is moving from being the expert who does the work to the facilitator who enables others to do the work. New managers often struggle to delegate effectively, reverting to doing tasks themselves, which can lead to micromanagement or burnout (Vorecol HRMS, 2024).
Leading Former Peers: One of the most common and difficult challenges is leading former peers. This requires navigating complex social dynamics, establishing authority while maintaining relationships, and providing constructive feedback to people who were once equals.
Developing People Skills: Many individual contributors are not trained in essential soft skills like active listening, empathetic communication, conflict resolution, performance feedback, and coaching – all critical for managing people effectively.
Strategic Thinking vs. Task Execution: Leaders need to think strategically, understand the broader organizational context, and align team goals with company objectives, a different cognitive muscle than day-to-day task execution.
These are not inherent traits; they are skills that need to be learned, practiced, and honed through dedicated training and support.
The Vision: Building Leaders, Not Just Promoting Them
The good news is that the Promotion Pitfall is entirely avoidable. The solution lies in a proactive, intentional approach to leadership development, where companies invest in building their next generation of leaders rather than simply promoting and hoping for the best.
Imagine a different scenario:
Your high-potential individual contributor is identified not just for their technical skills, but for their burgeoning leadership qualities. Before they step into their new role, they are enrolled in a tailored development program. They learn:
The Art of Delegation and Empowerment: How to effectively hand off tasks, trust their team, and empower others to take ownership.
Constructive Communication: How to give feedback, manage difficult conversations, and communicate vision clearly.
Coaching and Mentoring: How to develop their team members, unlock their potential, and foster growth.
Navigating Team Dynamics: Strategies for building cohesive teams, resolving conflicts, and fostering psychological safety.
The Mindset of a Leader: Understanding their new role as a facilitator and enabler, rather than just a doer.
This preparation isn't just about avoiding failure; it's about setting individuals up for profound success, with significant benefits cascading throughout the organization.
The Benefits of Proactive Leadership Development: A Win-Win-Win
Investing in the deliberate preparation of your emerging leaders yields powerful returns:
Confident and Effective Leaders: Leaders who receive targeted training are significantly more confident in their abilities and better equipped to handle the complexities of their roles (Korn Ferry, 2025). This confidence translates directly into more decisive and effective leadership.
Higher Employee Engagement and Retention: Well-prepared leaders create positive work environments. Companies that offer leadership growth opportunities see "58% of employees say they would stay longer at the company" (eLearning Industry, 2025). Engaged employees are more productive and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Organizations with successful leadership development programs are "three times more likely to have highly engaged teams, leading to a 21% increase in profitability" (Arbinger Institute, n.d.).
Enhanced Team Performance and Productivity: Effective leaders drive results. Companies that offer leadership training see a "25% boost in business performance and a 20% increase in overall performance on average" (eLearning Industry, 2025). This is because trained managers can foster better team collaboration and ensure clearer expectations (HiBob, 2025).
Significant Return on Investment (ROI): The investment in leadership development is not just a cost; it's a high-yield investment. Studies show that for every $1 spent on leadership training, businesses can see up to "$4.15 in return," with some analyses suggesting an even higher ROI (HiBob, 2025; Session, 2025). First-time manager training specifically "delivers a 29% ROI in three months and a 415% annualized return" (HiBob, 2025).
Robust Succession Planning: By intentionally developing your internal talent, you create a strong pipeline of ready-to-lead individuals, ensuring continuity and reducing the risk and cost associated with external hires (Together Platform, 2022).
Build Your Next Great Leader with COMPASS
Your next great leader isn't born; they are built through intentional investment and strategic development. Don't let your most talented employees fall victim to the Promotion Pitfall. Equip them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive.
Catalyst SLG's COMPASS Emerging Leader Development Program is designed precisely for this purpose. We provide your high-potential employees, those identified for people leadership roles within the next 12-18 months, with the comprehensive training and support to navigate this critical transition successfully. We transform the challenges of their first year into opportunities for growth, ensuring they become the confident, effective, and inspiring leaders your organization needs.
Ready to strategically build your next generation of impactful leaders? Contact Catalyst SLG today to support your high-potential employees. Let's create confident, effective leaders who drive real results.
References
Abel Personnel. (2025, February 25). Employee retention statistics to know. Retrieved from https://abelpersonnel.com/employee-retention-statistics-to-know/
Arbinger Institute. (n.d.). The ROI of leadership development. Retrieved from https://arbingerinstitute.com/ROI_Of_Leadership_Development.pdf
Blanchard, S., & Blanchard, K. (2016, Summer). Why do we wait to train our new managers? Training Industry Magazine, 57. Retrieved from https://trainingindustry.com/magazine/issue/why-do-we-wait-to-train-our-new-managers/
Center for Creative Leadership. (2024). The manager as a new hire. Retrieved from https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/manager-as-new-hire/
eLearning Industry. (2025). Leadership development statistics: What every L&D professional should know. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/leadership-development-statistics-what-every-ld-professional-should-know
ElectroIQ. (2025, February 10). Why new leaders fail: The surprising truth about leadership failure statistics. Retrieved from https://www.electroiq.com/home/article/14309325/why-new-leaders-fail-the-surprising-truth-about-leadership-failure-statistics
HiBob. (2025, March 14). Leadership development programs: Benefits and key components. Retrieved from https://www.hibob.com/hr-glossary/leadership-development-programs/
Korn Ferry. (2025, April 24). Five ways leadership coaching is evolving. Retrieved from https://www.kornferry.com/insights/articles/5-ways-leadership-coaching-is-evolving
Numly. (2020, September 22). Bridging the gap: A guide to leadership development programs. Retrieved from https://numly.io/blog/leadership-development-programs/
RDL Training. (2025). Leadership training statistics 2024: The ultimate guide. Retrieved from https://rdltraining.com/leadership-training-statistics/
Session. (2025, May 22). The ROI of leadership training: What the data says. Retrieved from https://session.com/blog/the-roi-of-leadership-training-what-the-data-says/
Together Platform. (2022, November 10). How to promote internally in 5 steps: Benefits & strategies. Retrieved from https://www.togetherplatform.com/blog/how-to-promote-internally
Vorecol HRMS. (2024, March 12). Top 10 challenges faced by first-time managers and how to overcome them. Retrieved from https://www.vorecol.com/blog/challenges-faced-by-first-time-managers/
Comments