Business Education

Two Rockstars, One Promotion—Here’s How Smart Managers Make the Toughest Call

When two exceptional employees are vying for the same promotion, the decision becomes one of the most challenging yet crucial choices a small business owner can make. Both candidates have proven their worth and demonstrated leadership potential, making the selection process far more complex than simply comparing performance metrics.

The stakes are high: promote the right person, and you strengthen your team’s future; choose poorly, and you risk losing talent and damaging morale.

Rather than relying on gut instinct, successful managers approach this dilemma with a structured framework that looks beyond surface-level achievements to evaluate strategic thinking, cultural fit, growth potential, and the specific needs of the role ahead.

5 Steps to Choose Who to Promote Between Two Star Employees

This is a big decision because when you have two top performers, both of whom appear to be the best fit for the same promotion, you can only go with one. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem. The wrong choice can sow division, tank morale, or even cause you to lose great talent. So, here’s how to navigate this high-stakes decision with clarity, empathy, and strategic foresight.

1. Define the Role’s True Needs

Before comparing candidates, define what success in the new role truly looks like.

Is it mostly strategic or still hands-on?
Does it require cross-functional collaboration, vision setting, or people management?
Are you looking to scale something that’s already working or lead transformative change?

Once you’re clear on the mission, you can assess which candidate aligns best, not with their past performance, but with the future demands of the role.

2. Look Beyond Metrics

Star employees often have stellar KPIs, but numbers alone don’t make a leader. Consider the following:

Influence: Who do others turn to for guidance or inspiration?
Resilience: Who thrives under pressure, adapts quickly, and keeps others steady?
Initiative: Who goes beyond their job scope to spot and solve problems?

These qualitative traits often separate a high performer from a high-potential leader.

3. Evaluate Cultural Impact

Promotion isn’t just about upward performance—it’s about how someone lifts those around them. Ask yourself:

Who mentors others or champions the team’s growth?
Who models your company’s values when no one’s watching?
Who adds to—not just fits into—your culture?

The ripple effect of a promotion is real. Choose someone whose impact elevates the collective.

4. Consider Timing and Trajectory

Sometimes, both employees are capable, but one may be more ready right now.

Who has the broader skillset today?
Who could thrive even more with time, mentorship, or a different opportunity?

If one star isn’t quite there yet, it doesn’t mean they won’t shine even brighter in the next round. Be transparent and offer a clear growth path.

5. Be Thoughtful, Transparent, and Kind

Whatever your decision, communicate with care. Explain how the choice was made, acknowledge both candidates’ contributions, and outline what’s next. If someone isn’t promoted this time, make sure they’re seen, supported, and set up for success in the future.

Here’s the bottom line. Promotions aren’t rewards for the past—they’re bets on the future. When you choose the right person for the role, not just the one with the best track record, you set your team—and both star employees—up for long-term success.

Want to Accomplish More?

Do you want your company to grow faster and earn more while spending more time with your family doing everything you started your business to do?

We can make that dream a reality. Give us 30 minutes, and we will show you how to get your life back. Skeptical? Good! Put us to the test.

You can call us for your free appointment at 480-636-1720, or, if you prefer, send us an email. You can also visit us at Waters Business Consulting Group to learn more about us and the services we offer. … And don’t forget to check up out on LinkedIn!

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How Small Businesses can Prepare for Employee Maternity Leave

September 15, 2022 No Comments

One of your best employees just came in with some exciting news – she’s pregnant and it’s her first! Everyone congratulates her and during the excitement, you begin to realize that this is going to affect your business in a profound way. Panic begins to set in as you think about all the help you’re losing – at least for the short term. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be so nerve-racking. You can create a reliable plan of action to deal with this momentous occasion. How Small Businesses can Prepare for Employee Paternity Leave, Too Of course, the same could be true for a new father. Your right-hand guy will be out for an extended period of time. Although this is a wonderful occasion, it leaves you feeling quite anxious. After all, this is one of your go-to people and definitely among your top performers. So, where do small firms commonly go wrong when it comes to managing maternity? ‘Some delay unnecessarily, rather than starting to plan and act as soon as they’re told about the pregnancy,’ Cecily Lalloo, an HR expert, replies. ‘This can mean you end up recruiting the wrong person, meaning you’ll have to repeat the process, which wastes time and money.’ —The Guardian Small Business While he’s away with his wife and new baby, all of his work will still have to get done somehow. Even more worrisome, is how you’ll fill that gap, regardless of the amount of time. It’s enough to make anyone feel quite unsettled because this type of news generally comes out of the blue and you’re unprepared for it. However, if you follow the suggestions below, you’ll be able to get through it as smoothly as possible. How Small Businesses can Prepare for Employee Maternity Leave When you’re faced with a maternity leave situation or any type of parental leave, you’ll obviously need a plan to follow. Here are some steps that you can take when this type of situation arises: Create or review your maternity leave policy. If you already have a maternity leave policy, then great, simply review it to ensure that it is up to date and that it will work for your business in its current state of affairs. But, if you don’t have a maternity leave policy, you can create one and customize it to fit your needs. Speak with the mom-to-be one-on-one. The next thing you need to do is to speak with your employee about her plans. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions, or inquire about her plans to return or leave her position. It’s far better to know than guess, leading to unnecessary confusion and worry. Have her document all her projects and tasks. Regardless if she’s coming back to her position or you need to hire someone else, you’ll need to know exactly what projects and tasks she’s currently working on. Either way, you’ll need somebody to come alongside her in order to be familiarized with her responsibilities so that person can assume her role. Assign one or more backups. If you don’t have someone already on your team who can take over, consider spreading her work among a few people. However, if this isn’t feasible, you should consider bringing in a temporary person. Create or review your transition plan. Lastly, you’ll need to develop a transition plan for her return if she is coming back. This will allow her to ease back into the swing of things without being overwhelmed. What other suggestions do you have for preparing for an employee’s maternity leave? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your perspective. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

5 Effective Methods for Coping with Fear and Anxiety Right Now

April 24, 2020 No Comments

Anxiety, stress, fear, and even anger. All these emotions result from a lack of control in a state of uncertainty. And, little else can describe the current state of events. It’s a time filled with unknowns and that’s not good for the human condition. After all, no one really relishes living in an environment of uncertainty. What Causes Fear and Anxiety This is precisely what triggers feelings of fear and anxiety — uncertainly. Having little to no idea of what to expect next or, being without any sense of control. It’s a combination of these two elements which cause anxiety, stress, fear, anger, and more negative emotions. For many people, the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus is the hardest thing to handle. We don’t know how exactly we’ll be impacted or how bad things might get. And that makes it all too easy to catastrophize and spiral out into overwhelming dread and panic. But there are many things you can do—even in the face of this unique crisis—to manage your anxiety and fears. —Help Guide International The good news is, even during the most uncertain and stressful times, you can do something to deal with such negative emotions. Better yet, once you begin to establish even a small sense of control, you’ll start to feel empowered and that by itself is a huge relief. 5 Ways to Cope with Fear and Anxiety To deal with anxiety and fear, you have to first accept your current set of circumstances. Fighting reality simply won’t work, because it can’t be changed. However, you can change how you respond to fear and anxiety by doing the following: Contextualize. Your first step toward conquering or at least coping with fear and anxiety is to contextualize. Here’s an example. Money is tight and bills are due. But, it’s only a temporary circumstance. It’s not an end-of-life situation. You will get through it and putting things in context is a big help. Take small steps. Next, you’ll need to take small steps in order to feel a sense of control. Sticking with the example above, you can reach out to vendors and ask what can be done. Just by communicating and better understanding the what’s actually going on will give you a sigh of relief. Limit news consumption. You’ve probably already heard this advice several times. So, take it to heart. Limit your exposure to news media, including social media, and other outlets. You only need to keep tabs on key developments but not bombard yourself with big doses. Revisit and revisit your goals. Now is a great time to revisit and revise your goals. This will help you to see and feel better about the future. And, it will also provide you with a sense of new possibilities, which is very empowering. Visualize and start to execute. It’s also a good time to visualize and execute. Although you may not be able to take things fully to fruition, you can at least start and that too, will help to give you a sense of control, accomplishment, and hope. What other suggestions do you have to combat feelings of anxiety and fear? Please comment and share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

You’ve Missed the Tax Filing Deadline (Again) But That May be the Least of Your Problems

April 18, 2025 No Comments

April 15th has come and gone. Now, you find yourself in a regrettable but familiar predicament.