Ask the Expert Dr. Kathleen Wells is a professional career coach and Director of Coaches That Care. She has coached thousands of clients through the stages of successful career development. Who should I promote? Q: I need guidance on deciding which employee to promote to a supervisor, John or Valerie. When I asked John why he wanted the promotion, he said he earned it by turning in three solid years. Or should I go to Valerie? Valerie's teams have been the top producers. When I asked her why she wanted the promotion she said she was getting burned out in her current job and need a change. However, she also mentioned that management has been one of her goals. What additional is the criteria can I use to decide who would be a better supervisor? - Arliza A: Dear Arliza, Promoting one of your people and not the other is a tough decision to make. There are several things to look at besides longevity with your organization. This can become tricky because often the person with seniority does feel they received a fair shake if the promotion goes to someone else. I use three main criteria. The first is reliability and loyalty. Is this person someone on whom I can count? Do I expect them to continue to produce for and growth with my company? The second thing is their actual accomplishments. Since all companies have a bottom line of making a profit, did this employee do something to increase my bottom line? Is she apt to do more of these things in the future? Will he help my company grow? Finally, because the promoted employee has to work with those not promoted, is this person a pleasant and tactful "people" person who will make the transition to supervisor a smooth one? Do the other employees like the newly promoted supervisor so that productivity will not decrease because of the change? You still want a good rapport and team effort going on after the promotion. Hope that helps--good luck in your decision! Kathleen Wells