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Five Signs That Your Employee May be Ready for Management

Your employee has already expressed an interest in climbing toward management…several times. She mentioned it during her initial interview, she mentioned it in her resume and cover letter, she mentioned it at least a few times during her first year on the job, and you know that pretty soon (when she’s ready) she’ll be walking into your office to explicitly request a promotion. Will you know how to respond? Here are five signs that suggest your employees are ready to move up.

1. They aren’t just a broken record of “yes’s”.

At the entry level, successful employees are easy to spot: they’re the ones who do whatever they’re told, quickly, wearing a big smile and a can-do attitude. When you ask them to jump, they ask how high. But after a few years in the field, the best employees have learned to think for themselves, and it shows. When you ask them to do something, they consider the context, and if the move isn’t right for the company, they’ll say so. They ask smart questions, they think moves ahead, and their bright eager smiles have given way to thoughtful frowns. Most important, when you tell them to do something, they don’t always say yes. Sometimes they suggest a better alternative instead.

2. They aren’t afraid.

Employees who aren’t yet ready for management tend to fear the opinions of their peers and coworkers just a little too much. They prefer being liked to being respected, and when they receive negative feedback from others, they wilt. On the other hand, employees who are ready for the next level tend to listen carefully to dissenting opinions, but they aren’t ruled by them. They stand up for their own ideas, and they’re learning how to push back and make convincing arguments that win others over to their point of view.

3. They know how the business works.

Management-ready employees have mastered their own little corner of this business, and they know how to execute the tasks that fill their own inboxes. But they’ve also started branching out and gaining a larger perspective. They show interest in and aptitude for their boss’s job, not just their own.

4. They’re already managing.

Employees who are ready for management are already managing others on some level. They’re training new employees, giving guidance to those who are confused, correcting those who are on the wrong path (including you), and taking on higher levels of responsibility without always being asked.

For more on how to identify the future managers on your team, reach out to the staffing and employment pros at Cordia.

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