We often promote people into more senior leadership positions based upon their performance in their current role.  But what do we do if after  the promotion the performance isn't what we expect it to be.  For some organizations this means terminating the employment contract with that person and letting them go.  But often, this doesn't make sense.  When you consider the time, effort and resources that has been invested into this employee over the years it seems like a waste to throw it away just because of a less than stellar performance in the most current assignment.  Maybe a better approach is to demote the person and put them into a role that they can learn the lessons that they need or failed to exhibit in their last role.  After all, at a lower level position the organization thought this individual was a rock-star so putting them back into a similar level role where they can learn the lessons they are missing might be a better win-win solution.  Eventually, this person might even work their way back to the role that they previously failed at, obviously after honing the skills they lacked the first time.  This seems like a better way to salvage the investment and keep a higher performing individual engaged.  

This development process is not without historical precedence, as it is exactly what George C. Marshall did during World War II when Army commanders were not performing up to expectations.  This is about keeping focused on the organizational goals, but also ensuring that the right person is in the right role at the right time as well.  And it allows people to develop at their own pace and being given the opportunity to learn the lessons that they need to drive better performance.  It is what a learning-based organization would do and it is a process that might just help an organization win the war for talent as well.

In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening.  So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow.  Carol Dweck

Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming.  They’s rather show you the highlight of what they’ve become.  Angela Duckworth

The test of success is not what you do when you’re on top.  Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.  General George Patton