kick upstairs
Verb (transitive, informal, often used in business or organizational contexts): * To promote someone to a higher-ranking position, typically one that has more prestige or a better title but less real power, influence, or direct responsibility. The term often implies that the promotion is a way to remove the person from their current, more impactful role without outright dismissal.
This phrasal verb is used to describe a specific type of promotion. It carries a connotation that the new position, while senior on paper, is effectively a sidelining move. * The direct object (the person being promoted) comes after the verb. * It is commonly used in the passive voice ("to be kicked upstairs").
- After the merger, the unpopular CEO was kicked upstairs to become the non-executive chairman.
- They didn't fire the manager for his mistake; they just kicked him upstairs to a corporate advisory role.
- She feared she was being kicked upstairs when offered the vice presidency with no budget or team to manage.
The core nuance of "kick upstairs" is the element of removal or sidelining. The promotion is not solely a reward for merit; it is also a strategic move to move someone out of a position where they are seen as problematic, ineffective, or in the way. The new position is often ceremonial, advisory, or has limited authority.
- Promote (verb): A neutral term for advancing someone to a higher position. "Kick upstairs" is a specific, informal type of promotion.
- Sideline (verb): To remove someone from active participation. This captures the effect but not the method of a promotion.
- Kick (verb): The base verb meaning to strike with the foot, metaphorically extended here to mean "to move forcefully."
- Upstairs (adverb): Referring to a higher level, metaphorically representing higher management or a less operational tier.
- Promote (with a sidelining intent)
- Elevate (often euphemistic in this context)
- Move sideways (specifically when the new role has similar rank but different, often reduced, responsibilities)
- Demote
- Fire / Dismiss
- Kick downstairs (an informal, less common antonym meaning to demote)
- Put out to pasture: To retire someone, especially because they are considered too old for their job. This shares the concept of removal but implies retirement rather than a new role.
- Given a golden handshake: Receiving a large sum of money upon leaving a company, often to secure an early or quiet departure. This is a financial, rather than positional, method of removal.
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give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
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John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
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Women tend not to advance in the major law firms
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I got promoted after many years of hard work
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