Five Green Flags That Someone’s Ready to Lead
by Margie DuBois, CPC
May 7, 2025
According to Gallup’s 2025 "State of the Global Workplace Report,” employee engagement fell last year, costing the world economy an estimated $438 billion.
Employees are - on average - much less engaged than they were years ago. In other words, they are less enthusiastic at work and less likely to refer their friends to work for their organizations.
If the world’s workplace was fully engaged, Gallup estimates that $9.6 trillion in productivity could be added to the global economy.
This begs the question: what is the most obvious solution to solving the engagement crisis?
I believe the answer boils down to two key areas: investing in managers and promoting the right ones.
First, organizations must ensure that their managers are set up for success. Around 70 percent of people leave their jobs due to a poor manager, but less than half the world’s managers (around 44 percent) say they have received management training.
People cannot be asked to excel in management roles if they don’t have the training and resources to do their jobs well.
Second, businesses need to select the right people for management roles. Frequently, employers make the mistake of promoting employees who have skills and competencies that are valuable but less relevant to successful people leadership. This backfires when the manager - and their employees - are unhappy working together.
Part of creating a thriving workplace means having a very clear understanding of the strengths each employee brings to the team, and knowing which employees are best suited to be managers verses individual contributors.
Here are five green flags that someone on your team may be “manager material” and ready to lead:
1 - They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is someone’s ability to understand and manage their emotions, while recognizing and influencing the emotions of those around them. It includes the core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
Part of EQ is someone’s ability to practice empathy and understand the feelings and perspectives of others. If there is anything we’ve learned about leadership over the last five years, it’s that empathy is a non-negotiable practice.
Employees with high emotional intelligence are more likely to stay calm under pressure, resolve conflict effectively, and respond to co-workers with empathy. And 71 percent of employees value emotional intelligence more than technical skills when evaluating candidates (Harvard Business School Online).
The irony is that emotional intelligence often gets the least amount of air time when discussing management challenges and promotions - yet it’s the most important ingredient for effective leadership. A manager cannot thrive without emotional intelligence or a genuine commitment to invest in their EQ skills.
2 - They demonstrate a growth mindset
People with growth mindsets believe their talents and abilities can be learned and improved through effort.
They’re the people at work who are curious learners, open to feedback, and willing to try new things - even when they feel uncomfortable. They’re usually the ones who are actively engaged at team retreats, working with coaches, or have Dare to Lead on their bookshelf.
Without a growth mindset, someone cannot be a great manager. Management is a two-way street that is built on a foundation of trust. High-performing managers often ask their direct reports how they are doing and what they can do to better meet their needs.
If someone does not demonstrate a growth mindset as an individual contributor, they will not do so as a manager.
3 - They are willing to have brave conversations
While empathy is a critical skill for managers, so is someone’s ability to hold others accountable. Sometimes (well-intentioned) people fall so deep into the empathy zone that they avoid conflict and dodge hard conversations. This becomes an even bigger challenge when those individuals need to manage people.
Empathy without accountability is not strong leadership. Both are required to lead others with integrity. Managers must be willing to coach their employees, give thoughtful feedback, and have brave conversations when the going gets tough.
4 - They receive consistent feedback across the board
Samuel Johnson once said: “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
One of the easiest ways to evaluate someone’s leadership potential is by assessing how they are perceived and experienced by their peers, and making sure they receive positive feedback from all levels of your organization.
Does your candidate get along with people from other departments? Do they radiate positive energy and embrace your company values? Do they get nominated by their peers for employee awards or committees?
One way that the wrong people get promoted into management roles is that the decision-makers prioritize (sometimes exclusively) the feedback of senior leadership. The problem is that some employees show up very differently with their supervisor than they do with their peers.
While hard work and getting results are notable qualities, they are not sufficient for management. People who focus on results without investing in the wellbeing of others should not be leading people.
5 - They have a passion for people
Perhaps the most obvious green flag in assessing management potential is a person’s enthusiasm for working with others.
A person’s level of extroversion or charisma is not what determines their ability to lead people - their desire to work well with others is.
Great managers are good people with a genuine interest in their teammates. They enjoy building relationships and consistently demonstrate their care for others. They lead with notable relationship building strengths and superpowers.
They also enjoy celebrating and recognizing others instead of competing against them. They build trust, empower others, and make efforts to elevate team culture.
. . .
Leading people is a privilege. And if you want to build a thriving team, it starts with selecting the right managers and investing in their success.
Before promoting someone into a management role, be sure you slow down to ask the critical questions. When shiny object syndrome works its way into promotions, it can be a recipe for disaster.
Instead, get clear on who is best suited for managing people, and who will thrive as an individual contributor. Both add value to your team and the bottom line.
About This Feature
Coaching Nuggets is a standing editorial feature in The Thirlby Co. Monthly Digest written by our company founder, Margie (Thirlby) DuBois, and occasional guest authors. Each nugget provides you with a quick read and resources to spark ideas and help you live your best life. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive this feature and more inspiring content in the future.
