Why Internal Promotions Fail More Than You Think

We all love the story of promoting from within. Rewarding loyalty. Recognising performance. It feels like a win-win.

But here’s the problem: most internal promotions fail.

I’ve seen it happen too often (and I'm sure you have too). A top-performing individual contributor gets promoted to manager… and six months later, they’re overwhelmed, frustrated, and underperforming.

Hell, this even happened to me early in my career.

Why It Happens

Being good at the job ≠ being good at leading others to do it. I know I wasn’t ready to lead and neither are most people who are promoted.

The fact is, promotions fail when leaders assume:

• Past performance = future readiness

• Tenure and subject matter experience = leadership potential

• Familiarity = fit for a new stage of the business

But the truth is: a promotion is a new job and it needs to be treated like one.

The Fix: Treat Internal Moves Like External Hires

Instead of assuming, define.

Mission Why does this new role exist? How does it support business goals today and in the next 12 months?

Outcomes What does success look like for this person in the next 6–12 months? Not just activity — results.

Competencies Which skills and behaviours actually matter for this new role? Leading people, managing complexity, influencing stakeholders.

Support What coaching, training, or mentoring will help them make the transition?

The Payoff

When you approach internal promotions with the same discipline as external hiring:

• You set people up for success, not struggle

• You reduce costly “boomerang” promotions (promote, fail, replace)

• You build a true leadership pipeline, not just reward tenure

Final Thought

Promotions aren’t gifts. They’re bets on the future.

The leaders who get them right don’t just recognise past performance. They design the conditions for future success.

P.S. Thinking about a critical promotion on your team? Book a free Hiring Clarity Path call with me. We’ll define what success in the new role really looks like and make sure you’re setting them up to thrive, not fail. 👉 Book your free call