Project Failure Files: Promoting Without Assessing Leadership Skills

In Episode 72 of the Project Failure Files weekly webcast, our focus was “Mistaking Star Performers for Star Leaders,” in which Sharon and I tackle one of the most common (and costly) management myths: the idea that your top individual contributor will automatically become a top leader. It’s an easy trap. Someone crushes their goals, so we “reward” them with a team and a title. But leadership isn’t just a step up the same ladder; it’s a different ladder. Doing the work and leading others to do the work require different muscles—empathy, coaching, delegation, and the emotional stamina to absorb other people’s blockers without burning out.

We unpack what really goes wrong when organizations promote on output alone: new managers feel overwhelmed, teams feel under-supported, and the business loses its best doer while failing to grow a real leader. Culturally, it also sends the wrong signal—that advancement is about personal throughput, not about developing others. We share stories from the field (and a few battle scars) about how this plays out, especially when peers are suddenly placed in charge without training or a transition plan.

The good news: there’s a better operating model. Build dual career paths (technical and leadership), assess leadership readiness before promotion, and give would-be managers structure: mentorship, feedback loops, and time to practice on smaller initiatives. Great organizations make leadership a craft you can explore, not a cliff you get pushed off. If you’ve ever wondered why a “can’t miss” promotion went sideways, this one’s worth a full watch.

Enjoy the episode!

Be sure to tune in next Monday, January 12th at 9am Pacific for the latest episode in our weekly series. Hope you can join us on our NEW YouTube channel (please subscribe!), or find us on LinkedIn.