If you are a company that prides itself on promoting from within and maximizing the talent and knowledge of your employees, how do you solve the 5 challenges of promoting within? (as discussed in our previous article)

1. Just like you can assess candidate’s motivation, behavior, and competencies in the hiring process, so too you can assess a potential employee’s attributes and see if they have what it takes to manage.  You will also learn their strengths and development opportunities, allowing you to capitalize on what they are great at while helping them improve or minimize their weaknesses.

2. When talking to the employee, you must give them clear, specific and measurable accountabilities for the management position.  Having them understand the daily schedule, work environment, expectations, and responsibilities of being a manager will give them a clearer picture of what they will be doing.  Don’t assume they know the difference between their current job and the new position.

3. This is where regular meetings with the new manager and continuous feedback will be helpful.  When managers gravitate towards “doing” the job, they usually need an outside perspective to point this out because like most things, when you’re in it – you can’t see it.  Evaluating their performance on a regular basis (weekly would be recommended) against the established objectives can help align their behavior with the position.

4. New managers may need some assistance with delegating.  It’s not an easy thing to do nor does it come naturally to most people.  They will need to dictate the WHAT (outcome) and WHY (purpose) and let people choose the HOW (method) for themselves.  Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” has a great process for delegating.

5. Leadership and management training programs are everywhere!  From local colleges to online programs, there is no excuse for not getting some training for the new managers.  However, as important as training is, don’t overlook coaching or mentoring for the new manager.  Training gives someone knowledge; coaching and mentoring can assist them in the application of the knowledge.

Many companies do successfully promote from within.  It’s motivating for others to see the growth potential within their own company, so it makes good business sense – if it is done right.