TL;DR: Promoting someone just to keep them from leaving can backfire—badly. If they’re not ready, it creates performance gaps, erodes trust, and damages team culture. On the flip side, taking a promotion can be smart if you’ve been groomed for it and the timing aligns with your career goals. But if the role is a setup for failure (like being the “executioner” during layoffs), you may want to pass. Fear and ego drive many decisions here—both can be costly, especially when burnout risk is high.
The Time I Promoted the Wrong Person
Years ago, as a CIO, I promoted a high-performing director to SVP of Infrastructure. I knew he wasn’t ready. He knew it, too. But we were about to lose him to another company, and keeping him felt mission-critical.
Twelve months later, we hit a wall. The role demanded strategic leadership to overhaul our product infrastructure for stability and security. He couldn’t deliver at that level. I had to bring in a consultant to do the heavy lifting—sending the clear message that he was out of his depth.
Fifteen months after his promotion, he quit. We’d lost the talent, burned political capital, and sent a confusing cultural signal to the rest of the organization.
Here’s what that experience taught me.
Why Promoting for Retention Can Blow Up in Your Face
They’re Not Ready for the Role
Leadership readiness is more than technical skill—it’s judgment, strategic thinking, and resilience under pressure. Promote someone too soon and they’ll be learning on the job while the stakes are high. That’s a recipe for stalled progress, bad decisions, and eventually burnout—for them and the people reporting to them.
It Rewards Ultimatums
If someone essentially holds the company hostage—“Promote me or I walk”—and you give in, you encourage others to use the same tactic. You’ve just traded long-term cultural health for short-term retention. This also signals that fear-driven politics work here, which increases the defensive posture that marks the early stages of burnout.
It Undermines Qualified Talent
When a more capable candidate is passed over, you risk alienating them. They might disengage or leave entirely. Disengagement and cynicism are hallmarks of the burnout spectrum’s middle stages, where optimism about the future erodes.
It Warps the Culture
People notice when promotions aren’t earned. It breeds cynicism and weakens trust in leadership. In high-performing teams, perceived fairness is non-negotiable—and once trust breaks, the organization feels less safe, accelerating burnout risks.
When You Should Take the Promotion
Even if it’s offered during messy times—like after a wave of resignations or during a downsizing—sometimes it makes sense to step up.
- You’ve Been Groomed for It
If your boss (and their boss) has been preparing you for the role, and you’ve been operating at that level informally, the promotion is the logical next step. You’re less likely to experience the “defensive posture” phase of burnout because you already have confidence, clarity, and support.
- It Aligns with Your Career Path
If the new role directly supports your long-term goals, and you’re confident in your ability to deliver, it’s worth the leap.
- You Have the Right Support System
Mentorship, training, and a stable team can make even a challenging role manageable and keep your relationship with the environment positive.
When You Should Think Twice
Promotions aren’t always upgrades. Sometimes they’re traps.
- You’re Being Set Up as the “Executioner”
In tough times, companies sometimes promote someone just to be the face of unpopular decisions—layoffs, deep budget cuts, scrapping projects. The emotional toll and constant exposure to conflict can push you quickly toward the burnout spectrum’s later stages.
- The Role Is Undefined
If no one can explain your KPIs, budget, or decision rights, you’re inheriting chaos without authority. Chronic uncertainty is a hidden burnout trigger.
- You’re Already Burned Out
A bigger role without recovery time will break you. Burnout isn’t about workload alone—it’s a defect in your relationship with your environment and future outlook. If you’ve already lost trust in the future at this organization, a title change won’t fix it.
Why People Take Promotions Anyway
Let’s be honest—most people accept promotions for two reasons:
- Fear of Getting Fired If They Don’t
Turning down a promotion can feel like painting a target on your back. But the truth is, a well-reasoned “no” can actually increase respect—if you explain it in terms of readiness and organizational fit.
- Ego and Career Optics
That shiny new title looks great on LinkedIn. Some will take the role knowing they might fail, just to carry that title into their next job search. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it ends up as a very public stumble—and the stress of underperformance can move you straight into burnout.
The Burnout–Promotion Risk Map
Think of the burnout spectrum as a sliding scale from “Inspired” to “Giving Up”. Every major career move—including a promotion—can shift you forward or backward along that line.
Moves You Closer to Burnout:
- Taking a role without clarity on expectations (fast-track to the “Stress” stage)
- Accepting a promotion you’re not ready for (“Defensive Posture” stage kicks in fast)
- Being placed in a politically charged role with no allies (accelerates “Energy Depletion” stage)
Moves You Away from Burnout:
- Stepping into a role you’ve been trained for (keeps you in “Motivated” or “Energized”)
- Having a mentor or sponsor who actively supports you (builds resilience)
- Clear KPIs and the authority to make decisions (strengthens trust in your environment)
Ask yourself before saying yes or making the offer: Will this move strengthen my relationship with my environment and my belief in a positive future? Or will it weaken both?
The Bottom Line
A promotion should be a strategic move, not an emotional reaction. Whether you’re giving or getting one, ask:
- Is this person ready to perform now—not in six months?
- Does this decision align with our values and culture?
- Will it strengthen the team long term, or just buy time?
- Am I making this decision out of fear or ambition, rather than fit?
- How will this impact my—or their—burnout risk over the next year?
The wrong promotion can cost you credibility, culture, and talent. The right one can be a launchpad for both individual and organizational growth.
Own Your Journey: If you’re facing a tough promotion decision—on either side of the table—let’s talk through the trade-offs so you don’t end up with regret baked into your next career move.
Until next Sunday!
—Oliver
