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Script: How to decline a request for a promotion

Time to read: 3 mins


As a manager, there are many reasons why you might not be able (or willing) to approve a promotion for a member of your team.


Communicating this decision is unlikely to be a conversation you look forward to. However, how you handle delivering the news will make all the difference to your team members' levels of motivation and trust in you. 


This script will help you prepare to have that difficult chat with sensitivity and respect. Your team member should also leave with greater clarity on their options and what they need to do to prepare for their next step.


Some food for thought before we dive in: 


  • Every organisation has a different approach to promotions and internal moves, so please consult your organisation's policies to help you customise this script.


  • If you don’t have a documented process for approving promotions, speak to a member of your People team or leadership to understand how decisions are made (and advocate for greater transparency!)


  • If your team member has formally applied for a promotion and been through an internal interview process, then make sure you have the interview feedback on hand to share. 


  • If their request for a promotion was speculative or declined through an internal review process, ensure you’re crystal clear on why you’re saying no. 


  • Your rationale could be related to the broader business context (e.g. there is not currently a role or a budget available) or skills related. Either way, transparency and context is key. 


  • If the core reason for the decision is related to their level of skill and experience, ensure that you have any role profiles or competency frameworks to hand before your 1:1 with your team member so you can agree on some development areas moving forward.


Say

Hi [team member name]. I wanted to have a chat about your [request/interview] for the [job title] role. Unfortunately, after careful consideration, it’s a no for now.


The core reason for this decision is [succinctly detail the main driver, being as candid as possible]. 


I realise this will be disappointing news, but I would love to spend some time together today unpacking this and talking through how I can support you with next steps.

Listen

Give your team member space to share their initial reaction and process a little before jumping into the next part of the discussion.

Say

[Add further context and detail around how the decision was made. If the team member interviewed for the more senior role, be clear about where they impressed and where there was a gap.


If the reason for turning down the request was more procedural, then make sure the team member is aware of the company dynamics.


If you don’t see any realistic prospects for promotion, then it’s important to share this too. You can still highlight other ways to progress their skills.]

Say

I want to be clear that we really appreciate your hard work and everything you bring to this team [add detail as appropriate]. 


From here, my intention is to support you to develop in [specific areas] and work towards a promotion within the next [12-18 months]*.


*Though indicative timelines can be reassuring, make sure you don’t overpromise or frame a promotion as guaranteed. Any timeline given should be realistic and correspond with internal review processes.


How to respond to pushback:


there are many reasons why someone might be adamant that they are ready for promotion, even if you don’t agree. Listen carefully to the rationale, validate any feelings of disappointment, but stay calm and committed to the decision. If appropriate, provide further evidence, but resist the temptation to go round in circles. 


If your team member is upset by the decision, then consider suggesting you regroup to discuss next steps after they’ve had a bit of time to process. However, if any of their fellow team members have been promoted into the role they put themselves forward for, make sure this is communicated 1:1 before the news is more widely known.

Next steps to consider

Keep your next few 1:1’s development focused, turning broad areas of development into specific goals. Reiterate that you’re in your team members corner through regular and specific feedback framed around their aspirations. You might find it helpful to remind ambitious team members that there is more than one way to look at progression. It’s not just about moving up a hierarchy, but also mastering different skillsets and ways to navigate the organisation. Support this broader idea of progression by looking for different ways to give your team members access to mentorship or projects that align with their ambitions.

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