Unlocking leadership potential

The prospect of promoting a valued employee to a new position is appealing—the credit union stands to benefit by retaining a knowledgeable employee, and the promotion presents opportunities for the employee’s growth and skills enhancement. But accurately identifying whether someone is ready to assume greater responsibilities can prove challenging.

“It’s common for many organizations to promote high-performing individual contributors into management roles. That’s not inherently a bad practice; on the contrary, it’s laudable. That said, often what makes someone a strong performer in an individual role doesn’t automatically make someone a great manager,” says Rich Gravelin, director of strategic alliances for Harvard Business Publishing. Headquartered in Brighton, Massachusetts, the not-for-profit organization is owned by Harvard University and affiliated with Harvard Business School.

Gravelin’s assessment can be true for both individuals under consideration for a first-time foray into management or middle managers, he notes.

“Similar to the challenges credit unions face when identifying first-level managers, [those who are] selecting high-potential candidates for senior roles need to recognize just that—the potential someone displays to become a leader,” Gravelin says. “These roles require an ability to think strategically and shape culture—among many other things—and that typically is different than the role a line manager fulfills.”

 

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