Can you recommend someone you don’t think is ready?

Being a manager can be very complicated at times. I’m not a manager, but I think I can understand the position the OP was in and why he reached out to the community in r/AITH. Apparently, he is the supervisor at a small company and the manager of a team. One of his employees, Ryan, wanted a promotion, and he had a fair chance at getting the position. The manager was asked who he thought was ready to achieve this role, and he didn’t think Ryan was the one.

Ryan heard this and was pretty upset, but seemed understanding when the manager gave him his reasons. Things escalated and went wrong when he was about to get a new position at a different company, but needed a recommendation letter from his current boss. The OP refused, and Ryan got very angry. He felt like this man was not helping him in his career and was setting him back.

In my opinion, I don’t think the OP is wrong. I understand the frustration of the employee, but at the same time, if he doesn’t think that Ryan is ready to grow in that way, then he shouldn’t recommend him for something he doesn’t feel he’s ready for. Of course, this is going to cause friction between them, but it’s a serious thing, and being honest is key.