Before You Promote Someone to Manager, Look for These 8 Signs
- Leslie Speas
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
One of the biggest leadership mistakes I see organizations make is promoting the wrong person.
Too often, the person who gets promoted is the highest performer, the technical expert, or the one who's been there the longest. While those things certainly matter, they don't necessarily predict leadership success.
In fact, Gallup research consistently shows that managers have an enormous impact on the employee experience. They influence engagement, performance, retention, and even employees' overall well-being.
Leadership potential usually leaves clues long before someone ever has "manager" in their title.
Eight characteristics I look for when helping organizations identify future leaders:
1. They take ownership before they have authority.
Future leaders don't wait for permission to solve problems.
When they see something that needs attention, they step in. They don't say, "That's not my job." They ask, "How can I help?"
Ownership is often one of the earliest signs of leadership potential.
2. People naturally trust them.
Notice who coworkers seek out. Who do they ask for advice? Who can calm tense situations? Who do people confide in?
Leadership isn't about having a title. It's about earning trust.
3. They focus on "we" more than "me."
The best future leaders care about team success.
They celebrate others, share credit, and understand that winning together matters more than individual recognition.
4. They can handle discomfort.
Leadership involves having difficult conversations, giving honest feedback, or addressing problems instead of avoiding them.
If someone consistently shies away from conflict, leadership will eventually become frustrating—for them and for everyone else.
5. They stay humble.
Confident leaders don't need to be the smartest person in the room.
They're quick to recognize others' contributions, willing to learn, and comfortable admitting when they don't have all the answers.
No one wants to work with or for a know-it-all with a big ego. Humility builds trust and credibility.
6. They think beyond their own job.
Strong leaders see the bigger picture.
They connect the dots between departments, think about what's best for the organization, and understand how their decisions affect others.
That's a very different mindset than simply completing today's to-do list.
7. They make other people better.
One of my favorite questions is:
When this person works with others, do people become more capable...or more dependent?
Future leaders encourage, coach, teach, and develop those around them. They aren't threatened by other people's success.
8. They own their impact.
When something goes wrong, future leaders don't immediately blame circumstances or other people.
Instead, they ask:
"What could I have done differently?"
That level of accountability is one of the strongest indicators of leadership maturity.
Don't Rush the Promotion
Even when someone demonstrates these qualities, that doesn't mean they're ready to step into leadership tomorrow.
One of the best investments you can make is developing them before promoting them.
Give them opportunities to:
Lead a project.
Mentor or onboard a new employee.
Participate in cross-functional initiatives.
Receive leadership training.
Practice giving feedback.
Learn how to coach others instead of simply doing the work themselves.
You'll gain valuable insight into whether leadership is truly the right fit—and they'll gain confidence before taking on the responsibility.
Final Thought
Promoting the wrong person into leadership is expensive.
It impacts morale, performance, turnover, and often the confidence of the individual who was promoted before they were ready.
But failing to recognize and intentionally develop the right people can be just as costly.
The strongest leadership pipelines don't happen by accident. They happen because organizations look beyond today's performance and intentionally prepare tomorrow's leaders.
After more than 36 years in HR, I've learned this:
The people who make the best leaders usually start leading long before anyone gives them permission to.
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If you need help selecting or developing emerging leaders, InfluenceHR Consulting can help! Reach out to Leslie Speas at leslie@influencehrconsulting.com
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