Career Progression doesn’t have to be a Life Sentence
Time vs Capability: Who Decides When You're Ready?
In a recent conversation with a seasoned professional—17 years deep into the same company since the graduate program—I was struck by a comment: “To be considered for Position A, you need to have been here at least two years.”
It’s a familiar narrative in large enterprises: time served equals readiness. But does tenure really equate to leadership capability? Or are we mistaking loyalty for suitability?
So in true KK form, I challenged, the narrative.
Capability Doesn’t Have a Clock
Why does time served have to = promotion ready? In fact, that is the number 1 reason seen time and time again that people are put in positions they do not have the skills to execute even though they are highly effective in their current roles. Strategy, people management and culture creators are very different skill sets to doing on the ground. Research from the Harvard Business Review shows that high-performing employees can reach leadership readiness 30–50% faster than traditional timelines suggest. In fact, companies that promote based on capability over tenure see a 25% increase in team productivity and lower turnover rates.
Why? Because leadership is not a reward for time served—it’s a responsibility earned through impact.
The Psychology of Progression
Psychologically, when people feel their growth is tied to arbitrary timelines, motivation dips, turn over increases and your strong players hit their head on your created glass ceiling quicker than your timeline permits. According to Self-Determination Theory, autonomy and competence are key drivers of engagement. If someone is ready, willing, and capable—why make them wait?
Promoting based on time alone can lead to misaligned leadership, where individuals are elevated not because they inspire or empower, but because they’ve “waited their turn.” I can personally relate to this, I remember in a position once, I was having one of those career progression discussions with a line leader, who in all honesty I felt like I was doing most of their job anyway, the comment about progress… “Do this for another few years and then move to X… in my head, in that time I will be your bosses boss!”. Don’t let someone else’s timeline and cadence dictate where you set your bar. If you hit the roof where you are, then likely you are outgrowing your environment.
Culture Is the Real KPI
This is where culture becomes your secret weapon. A culture that values capability, courage, and contribution over chronology creates momentum. It tells your people: We see you. We believe in you. Let’s move.
And when people feel seen and trusted, they deliver. Fast. And speed of implementation builds momentum, builds agility and enables your business the opportunity to compete with the big players in your industry.
The question isn’t “Have they been here long enough?”
It’s “Are they the right person to lead now?”
Because the right leader at the right time can change everything—and sometimes, that time is now.
Take notes:
Tenure ≠ Readiness: Leadership should be earned through impact, not time served.
Capability-Driven Promotions boost productivity and engagement.
Psychological Safety and autonomy fuel faster growth.
Culture that empowers beats policy that delays.
Ask better questions: Who’s ready to lead, not who’s been here longest?
Keep yourself ahead of the game. Be sure to subscribe, follow and like my podcast “Transforming the Game”, available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple.