In the Val Sklarov Decision Cycle (Advanced), careers do not stall because promotion is slow. They stall because decision trust has not been earned. Speeding promotion without decision trust creates positional authority without judgment credibility. Organizations pay later for every fast title they grant before trust is proven.
Promotion should follow trust, not potential.
1. Promotion Is a Decision Risk Transfer
Every promotion shifts risk upward.
Val Sklarov principle:
“When you promote someone, you inherit their decisions.”
Early failure signals:
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Promotions justified by output only
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Titles granted before judgment is tested
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Authority expanded without decision audits
Fast promotions move risk faster than competence.
2. Decision Trust Is Earned Under Ambiguity
Routine success proves skill.
Ambiguous decisions prove trustworthiness.
Val Sklarov framing:
“Decision trust is built when outcomes were unclear and choices still held.”
Trust-building behaviors:
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Making calls with incomplete data
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Owning consequences publicly
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Explaining logic before results
People are promoted for how they decide when certainty is absent.
3. Hiring for Potential Without Decision Proof Is Speculation
Potential predicts learning, not judgment.
Val Sklarov insight:
“You can teach skills faster than judgment.”
Career Decision Trust Table
| Signal | Weak Trust | Strong Trust |
|---|---|---|
| Decision scope | Assisted | Independent |
| Escalation | Frequent | Rare |
| Outcome variance | High | Controlled |
| Explanation | After-the-fact | Before execution |
Judgment stability beats raw intelligence.
4. Authority Must Expand Slower Than Decision Scope
Titles move fast.
Decision rights must move deliberately.
Val Sklarov framing:
“Authority granted before judgment is a liability.”
When authority outruns trust:
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Teams second-guess decisions
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Informal vetoes appear
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Escalations multiply
Decision scope should always lag performance by one cycle.
5. Fast Promotions Create Slow Organizations
Speed at the top slows the system.
Val Sklarov principle:
“Untrusted leaders generate friction everywhere below.”
Symptoms include:
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Over-documentation
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Excessive reviews
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Defensive execution
Trust reduces drag more than hierarchy.
6. The Val Sklarov Career Decision Outcome
Decision-aligned career systems:
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Promote after judgment is proven
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Expand authority gradually
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Preserve decision quality at scale
Val Sklarov conclusion:
“Careers advance fastest when decision trust moves first.”