03/08/2026
Here's the truth about promoting your staff.
Someone starts, they grow, they're good at the job. And the message gets sent , intentionally or not, that the only way up is management.
Team leader, area manager, business manager, exec team.
So your best salesperson becomes the sales manager. Your best engineer becomes the team lead.
Six months later, everyone's surprised it isn't working.
But what if there were two tracks? Not management or a consolation prize. Two genuine growth pathways, both offering real opportunity.
One is measured on getting results through others.
The other on depth, expertise, client relationships, craft.
Same seniority. Same earning potential. Completely different work.
Plenty of businesses have drawn the first line. Almost none have drawn the second.
So when your best people hit that fork, and they all do eventually, the choice becomes: manage, or leave.
And not everyone is cut out for management. Nor do they all want to be.
Delivered by Andrea Davey, CEO
