Motivating People: Know When To Pitch Promotions

03/06/07

Every employee wants a promotion, right?

Nope. If you think so, you might run off some great rank-and-filers who’d rather stay among the rank and file.

Granted, certain peak performers hesitate to move up because they lack confidence. Once promoted, though, they may grow into the job and see themselves in a new light. That’s great when it happens, and it often does. But one of the best things you can do for workers who are honestly content with their niche is to leave them there.

Don’t turn up the heat on workers who insist on staying put. If you do, one of two things may happen: They either capitulate but do a halfhearted job (hey, they said they didn’t want to be promoted), or they ask for their old job back and may quit if it’s been filled. I’ve known several outstanding teachers who were pressured into becoming administrators and were terrible at it and a couple of excellent service technicians who were miserable as service managers. Supervision wasn’t their cup of tea; their bosses force-fed it to them.

When you’re pondering potential candidates for promotion, distinguish between those who merely lack self-confidence (but would probably do fine with encouragement and training) and those who would rather slide down a razor blade than move into supervision. For the truly disinclined, higher pay, greater status, and the possibility of further advancement won’t offset the additional responsibilities, unpaid overtime (because they’re in an exempt position), and being taken away from the hands-on work they find satisfying and rewarding.

So listen carefully to people who decline a promotion, and respect the wishes of those who are adamant. Don’t give them a hard sell. If your ladder to success looks like an elevator shaft to them, live with it. Praise them, reward their continued good performance, and let ‘em be. Loving what they do and knowing you’ll leave them alone to do it will nurture their morale and motivation on a daily basis.