Is my employee ready
for a managerial position?
Your team member aspires to a managerial role. He is good at what he does. But you wonder if he is ready for this step. It remains difficult to see in advance whether someone will become a good manager. How can you assess this?
Interest in managerial work?
Look at someone’s leadership experiences. For example, if someone has been a captain of a football or hockey team, that certainly counts. In addition, he should have insight into the organization: how do things work? What is needed? Where is it heading? Also discuss the candidate’s leadership potential with others, such as colleagues or team members. This can be done openly—ask the candidate for references, if necessary.
A person’s behavior and actions?
Also evaluate whether someone has the necessary qualities to become a good manager by looking at their behavior and actions. Qualities like eagerness to learn, vision, resilience, and collaboration skills are important. Trust your instincts if you feel positive about someone. People don’t need to score a perfect ten to get the opportunity to develop themselves.
Do's
• Ask the candidate what management means to him and how he would lead a team.
• Assess people skills (including empathy and self-awareness), if needed with an assessment.
• Check if he understands the organization by asking about his view on the culture, needs, and direction.
Don'ts
• Forgetting to consider someone’s leadership experience outside work (in sports, volunteer work, etc.).
• Ignoring warning signs. If someone isn’t curious or can’t collaborate well, it probably won’t work out for him.
• Forgetting that in your own career, someone believed in you and gave you the chance to develop.
Source: Harvard Business Review
