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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Vendor Nightmare? Here are Some Quick Fix Solutions

December 19, 2024 No Comments

The need to find an alternate vendor can suddenly arise in the fast-paced business world. Whether due to a supply chain disruption, quality issues, or a vendor going out of business, quickly securing a reliable replacement is crucial to maintaining operations and avoiding costly delays.

These Two Words Reveal Bad Leadership Skills

September 14, 2020 No Comments

Harry Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Ronald Reagan echoed that sentiment. JFK famously said, “…ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Taking credit, even when legitimately earned, doesn’t sit well with others. People often take it as pompous, even narcissistic. That’s because it simply comes across that way, even if you don’t mean it at all. That’s why two simple words can give you a glimpse into someone else’s leadership style. Language Reveals a Lot about Personality The two words that serve as warning signs of bad leadership are merely pronouns — “me” and “I.” Someone who repeatedly uses “me” and “I” are subtly (perhaps overtly) expressing their worldview. That’s right, he or she is the center around which everything revolves. Leadership is one of the most important factors determining the success of a company. Poor leadership can seriously affect employee morale and even cause the company’s bottom line to plunge. Bad leadership leads to poor employee retention and demotivates the remaining employees, causing them to be much less productive than they would otherwise be. —Houston Chronicle Small Business Okay, that’s cliche, but it exposes a hard truth. We don’t like to think of ourselves as selfish, so we also don’t like to apply that label to others. Though, when the behavior is egregious, it not only seems appropriate to think of as an undesirable quality, but almost a necessity to call out. 3 Devastatingly Poor Leadership Traits While there are certainly numerous bad leadership attributes, three are among the absolute worst. They undermine the very role of a leader. So, doing any one of them (or more) will only be counterproductive. Here three hurtful leadership characteristics to avoid all the time: Micromanaging. Unsurprisingly, this makes the top of the list. Micromanagers are among the most despised people because their behavior is completely counterproductive. Insisting on control of everything means there’s really no need for anyone else. It’s so hated, this trait ranks among the highest in dissatisfaction among people in survey after survey. It shows you have no confidence in anyone else. Plus, it proclaims you’re the only competent person in the workplace. Not recognizing others. This isn’t much different from micromanaging because it stirs up just about as much resentment. It shows a lack of care and regard for others. It also says that you have little respect for the work others work so hard to produce. If you aren’t encouraging others through recognition, you’re insulting them in more than one way. Failing to share information. When you aren’t transparent and open about what’s going on or what’s expected, you’re effectively sabotaging anyone without that information. “To be unclear is to be unkind” the saying goes. It speaks volumes because keeping too much too close to the vest shows a real lack of trust. Without trust, there’s no way to have a working relationship. What other signs tip you off to a bad leader? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Others can greatly benefit from what you have to contribute. Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Alex Jones, InfoWars, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube — Why it’s All Gone So Bad

October 10, 2018 No Comments

Alex Jones is all over the news. His controversial content sparked a national conversation about free speech. And, social media corporations have received public pressure to remove the conspiracy theorist’s presence. They’ve mostly complied. Regardless of what you think about the man, it not only brings up the issue of free speech but also puts another dynamic at the forefront. That is the age-old saying, “One bad apple can ruin the bunch.” Or, in this case, how these various social networks put themselves in an untenable condition. How One Bad Employee can Damage a Company The real crux of the matter comes down to the fact that social sites do police and prohibit certain types of content. (Violent images, pornography, and more.) But, we’ve seen that just one user can easily tarnish the reputation of the entire platform. The same holds true for business. A bad employee can utterly damage a company. Once the damage is done, it becomes an even larger issue. There’s that one person on your team — the bad apple who has nothing positive to say, riles up other team members, and makes work life miserable. If you can’t fire him, how do you respond to his behavior? What feedback do you give? How do you mitigate the damage he inflicts? —Harvard Business Review.org All it takes is a single instance of an egregious behavior. Or, a pattern of bad practices that go without correction. This is why Disney parks enforce so many employee behavior rules. The theme parks are selling experiences. And, all it takes is one bad encounter to absolutely ruin a whole family’s trip. Because, that’s what they’ll most remember — the bad stuff. If you don’t believe this, just look at the statistics about how many people an unhappy customer will tell their friends about a bad experience. It’s double, even triple, the number of people a happy customer will tell others about a good experience. 3 Ways to Prevent Employees from Ruining Your Business If you sense or have already encountered a situation where an employee is damaging your company, you must take action immediately. Here are some effective ways to prevent employees from ruining your business: Privately deal with the bad behavior. Once it’s happened, you can’t ignore it. Bring the employee in for a private chat. Have an honest talk about the circumstances and give positive guidance. Then, follow up periodically to ensure things are going well. Regularly monitor everyone for toxic behavior. Yes, one bad apple will ruin the bunch. And, this goes for employees. Bad attitude easily spreads throughout a business’ culture. So, keep your eyes open and listen for any negativity. Encourage team members to openly recognize one another. It’s not just on you as the leader. Encourage employees to praise each other and encourage one another when appropriate. The more positive the environment, the better. How do you deal with bad employees? What methods are the most effective? Please comment and share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.