Are You Promoting the Best or Worst in Your Organization/Society? (Applied Psychology)

Developing healthy organizations that thrive in complex environments relies on the human capital. The right employees matched with the right executive leadership often leads to the high outcomes in a way that provides benefits to stakeholders and society. Within this article when we discussion organization we can equally apply that to any organization or even society at large. As the best and brightest rise we will find compounding positive effects of strong strategic leadership and the type of decision making that encourages the best out people. Learning to be a strong executive and leader fosers to a type of long tail development that makes its way in the work culture and environment. The question why less than qualified employees are promoted to executive management is an important one to ponder. It is also important to avoid if possible.

Companies often promote high performing employees to management positions where they fail on a leadership level. The short term metrics seem to be encouraged over long term functioning of the whole. The skills needed to be a sophisticated executive and build a team around core objectives are different when compared to the skills needed to push for one's own success. CEO Personality on Company Performance. Thus, the ability to put one's own needs to the rear to further the team and the mission of the organization first isn't likely going to resonate well with those who have a habit of showcasing primarily themselves. Shallow attempts to cover the selfish nature of behaviors soon becomes apparent in team settings and that is when other issues that impact the health of the whole rises. 

When we make the wrong decisions we sometimes find it costing an organization an aweful lot in the mid and long term.. In my experience poor executive are not fully aware of their behaviros and its impact on the environment so new ideas are stiffled and exceptional employees leave so they can manage their own affairs. It is hard to make these cause and effect relationships but most of us have experienced how the focus on short term results without considering employee needs or the corporate culture can cause lasting damage. Many times I have seen such companies succeed for a short time and eventually decline or bankrupt due to lost long term performance resilience. In other words, hire the best and brightest and not short term toxic performers. Research on Promotion Fails 

One of the ways we can better promote people with strong management and leadership skills is to look at the idea of applied psychology. Improving teamwork and performance comes with understanding human nature and human behavior (One thing I have learned is that all behavior is goal directed. The stronger the mind, the more accurate the behavior to the goal.). Learning about applied pscyhology in the workplace can help create cultures of performance and open the door to hiring managers with actual leadership skills. Think beyond the surface of performance and what how people interact under various settings. Employee Engagement: Using Applied Psychology Strategically

Let us also think about a quick blurb on the perspective of an investor and an employee. If you were an investor (swap with senior leader) and want to develop a strong organization you will want to set the environment culture to raise employee satisfaction and performance. It reduces costs and it helps attract more high performers. If you were a high performing employee you will want an environment where you can flourish, feel part of something greater, future opportunities, and feel satisfaction from your contributions. Promoting the best and brightest versus short term performers can mean the difference between organizations that succeed and those that fail. As an investor or senior leadership member this should be something on your mind. Applied psychology has a reflective benefit to the science of management.