Archive: Around Town

I have a business assistant who has been with me for several years. I trust him implicitly. He knows the ins and outs of my business like no one else. He seems satisfied in his role as my right hand. I would like to promote him, but he seems adamant that he is satisfied in his current role. I'm having a hard time understanding this mindset. He doesn't seem to fear responsibility, but prefers to stay in the shadow. I know he could go far in this business. How can I coax him to see his value? This is a management issue I've never encountered.
Prefers not to be Promoted

Dear Prefers not to be Promoted?:  You're very fortunate to have such a loyal employee. What you may not be seeing, is that his role as support person is his true strength and value. It's not a problem you need to address. Think of him as Ed McMahon to Johnny Carson. (Am I dating myself?) Or, think of the web designer who supports their client's success by doing their best to promote their online presence behind the scenes. You can certainly provide healthy perks or raises that I'm sure would be appreciated. We all have our roles to fulfill, and his role appears to be promoting the success of others.

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