While some high performers fail to get promoted, there are many cases where people seem to be making a very fast progress in their careers, even too fast. They get promoted too quickly, before they can develop the skills they need for a new position. I don't know which of these two options is worse and more disastrous for the company. Thoughts?
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I've experienced being seen as a high performer just to watch my leadership team to be eliminate a year or 2 afterwards. It definitely did discourage me after CDO but after CDA - I saw that coming. That can be hard, but it really never demoralized me but strengthen who I am.
This time around, I've taken a different approach on how to see it. I'm working hard but not overworking. My younger years I was putting in 60 or 70 hours to prove I could do the job. Now I focus on the main objectives, the next goal, manage my time effectively and out of the office before 5 usually. I'm recognized well by my teammates (presumably) and leaders. However, I use to envy those folks hitting the "director" level at 25... but looking back, that's a curse. Sure they went on after that and kept going higher but to get eventually cut down in a CDO or CDA.
I look back at those moments and realized I envied them because they never had to make the sacrifices I did... the super long hours, the building the connections, and "doing it right". Reality is, I never took a step back and said "were they ready?", "did they do it just for the money?", "is the role a feasibly successful one?" (We all know there is a few roles that have to climb Everest without a oxygen mask, those folks rarely make it.)
That perspective really changed my mindset, sure they still got the 6-plus figures salary but they lost a little bit of who they could've become due to chasing a title or money.
Happened to me, but I wasn't trying to move up faster than I should. My big promotion came as a part of being placed after CDA. Fired for "underperformance" in May after 10+ years of successful and highly successful year ends. Not a bad employee, tried my best, and I just didn't fit in with the team/make enough of an impression on leaders/work on the right projects for visibility. Manager had no interest in helping me. HR told me CDA was old news.
It’s true when people get promoted without the experience it impacts the effectiveness of the team and overall performance of the business. Unfortunately, when revealed they are in over their heads they get moved at the same level to anew department/roll only to have it happen all over again. They basically continue to take spots in org away from other high potentials. If they can’t prove within a reasonable amount of time they have the potential leaders thought…take them back down and give someone else a shot versus creating a layer of incompetent directors.
The Peter Principle is alive and thriving at Nike
The most disastrous thing for the company is the one that happens most often: high performers who can’t get promoted. Those people either get bitter or, if they’re smart, they leave. I don’t have much sympathy for people who can’t get promoted but still choose to stay. That’s just rewarding Nike for taking advantage of you.
People getting promoted too soon or too fast happens but I wouldn’t say there are “many cases” of it. Those people eventually get exposed anyway when they get elevated to a role for which they clearly don’t have the required skills. I’ve seen it happen a few times and it’s always painful to watch. But the much bigger problem is people who languish in jobs because management doesn’t want to recognize or reward their talent.
As a pal of mine once said, "You can't throw a rock around here without hitting a Director."
On a site about LAYOFFS, people are seeking sympathy for getting promoted too fast. How Nike. “Make it about me!”
It’s hard to stop and enjoy the way up. A fever to get to the top isn’t always a good idea, and once there, it’s going to be a massive challenge. Once you are promoted and not enjoying middle management, it’s not a possibility to take a step back.