Signs That Someone is a Good Candidate for Promotion
This type of person you want to look out for is ready and willing to dive in and figure it out but will also raise their hand and ask questions if they get stuck or need help. They have an “I got this” attitude and aren’t offended by criticism or feedback if they missed the mark. You may even find that they come up with solutions that your long-time employees haven’t because they are approaching problems with a new perspective.
They key to unlocking this kind of person’s potential is to give them a little freedom and leeway to figure it out themselves. Try not to micro-manage them and trust them to get the job done without direct supervision.
Another important quality in a potential key player in your business is the ability to take feedback and adjust accordingly.
Feedback is important, especially when you’re grooming someone for advancement. Positive feedback helps build confidence and constructive criticism helps them grow into the role you’re grooming them for.
Business owners often want to give more positive feedback than negative. Negative feedback doesn’t have to mean that you have to be hostile, rude or offensive. If presented in a useful and valuable way, negative feedback can be just as productive as positive feedback.
If you are giving your honest assessment and critique of how well they are doing, along with helpful suggestions on how they can improve, your ideal candidate will take those pointers and apply them the next time they have the same task.
A good formula to use when giving constructive criticism is commonly known as “the feedback sandwich”. Start off complimenting them on the parts they got right, including their attitude and work ethic. Then give feedback on areas that need improvement along with tips on how they can do a better job next time and then finish up with more praise. Let them know that their willingness to learn and improve is important to you.
Give Feedback Early and Often
Give feedback as early as possible. You’re opening up the lines of communication with an honest feedback loop while also giving them a chance to show that they are willing to take your feedback into consideration.
It’s up to you as the business owner to give them feedback early so it doesn’t turn into a bigger issue further down the road.
The right person will respond to feedback and be up to the challenge of growing with the company and figuring out how they can put their own personality and talents to use in the framework of the task at hand. Good team members and potential candidates for promotion appreciate feedback and direction. They want to know if they are doing things the right way. They are genuinely interested in improving, both for their own satisfaction of a job well-done and for the future of the company.
If your candidate gets their ego too involved, they have a hard time processing feedback in a constructive way and may even get resentful or angry. Obviously, that person isn’t likely to be a good candidate for advancement.
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