Tolu’s story begins with a celebratory LinkedIn post announcing her unexpected promotion to Head of Strategy.
The post garnered admiration and praise, but behind the scenes, she was quietly unravelling. Her manager had resigned abruptly, and she was chosen to fill the gap not because she was ready, but because she was visible and seemingly capable.
Within weeks, she was overwhelmed by high stakes decisions, sleepless nights, and the harsh realisation that competence in her previous role did not translate to confidence in her new one.
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This experience is not unique. In today’s fast paced corporate world, career progression is often treated like a race. The faster one climbs, the more impressive the trajectory appears. But this obsession with speed overlooks a darker reality: promotion paralysis—the psychological, emotional and physical toll of being elevated without adequate preparation.
A 2024 Harvard Business Review study found that over 43 percent of fast tracked professionals experience burnout, decision fatigue and imposter syndrome within six months of their promotion.
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These are not under-qualified individuals. They are skilled professionals thrust into leadership roles without training, mentorship or proper onboarding. The result? They are expected to lead and deliver while silently struggling to stay afloat.
“Talent gets you into the room. But if you’re not trained for the heat, even the corner office can burn you out.”
Promotion is often mistaken for perfection. Colleagues assume you have all the answers. Executives expect immediate results. And the individual, caught between self doubt and external expectations, begins to crumble. While imposter syndrome is commonly associated with junior staff, it is increasingly affecting mid and senior level leaders. A report from the International Journal of Workplace Mental Health reveals that 58 percent of executives promoted within two years of joining a company felt unworthy or unprepared.
The issue is not a lack of will, it is a lack of readiness. Many are promoted based on technical excellence, but leadership demands a different skillset: managing people, influencing stakeholders, driving strategy and navigating office politics. Yet, little is done to support this transition. New appointments are celebrated with cake and champagne, but what leaders truly need is clarity and coaching.
The corporate world romanticises upward mobility. A new title is met with applause, but beneath the celebration often lies isolation. Leaders feel they cannot admit what they do not know. Asking for help might be seen as weakness. So they retreat—performing, pretending and panicking behind polished presentations and boardroom smiles.
Promotions, when poorly managed, can become traps, high seats with shaky foundations. The problem is systemic. Organisations over promote and under coach. They reward visibility over viability and urgency over alignment. Elevation is treated as a prize, not a process.
It is time to rethink the ladder. Career mobility should be measured not by speed, but by sustainability. A promotion should not feel like punishment, and a new role should not mean losing one’s balance. Support must become a non negotiable part of leadership transition.
Esther Adeyanju is a corporate communications professional with over seven years of experience spanning media, strategic communications, and public relations. She is a member of the NIPR and ARCON.
Esther Adeyanju
Ngozi Ekugo is a Snr. Correspondent at Businessday, covering labour market, careers and mobility.
She is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), has an MSc Management from the University Hertfordshire and is an alumna of University of Lagos and Queen’s college.
