Why Your Top Performer Isn’t Always Your Next Great Manager

When a management position opens up, promoting your highest performer can feel like the obvious choice. But being great at your job doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be great at managing others.

Engtal Founder Chris Atiyah recently shared his perspective with ExecutiveEDGE on why businesses need to look beyond individual performance when identifying their future leaders.

As Chris explains:

“You lose twice because if Bill becomes an ineffective manager, you’ve also lost Bill, the individual contributor who was fantastic.”

The skills that make someone a top performer can be very different from those required to lead a team. Strong managers need to communicate effectively, motivate others, handle difficult conversations and ultimately achieve results through the people around them.

That’s why leadership potential should be identified before a management position becomes available.

Businesses should look for employees who naturally mentor others, take ownership, support their teammates and show a genuine interest in helping other people succeed. Giving these employees opportunities to lead projects, support new hires or take on additional responsibility can help develop those skills early.

Just as importantly, businesses should ask whether their top performers actually want to manage. Management shouldn’t simply be the default reward for strong performance. Creating alternative progression opportunities allows great individual contributors to continue growing without forcing them down a leadership path that may not suit them.

Ultimately, the best individual contributor and the best future manager may be the same person, but businesses shouldn’t assume they are.

By looking beyond performance and investing in leadership development early, companies can make better promotion decisions and build stronger teams for the future.

Read Chris Atiyah’s full insights in ExecutiveEDGE: “How to Choose the Right Employees for Management Roles.”