https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28287617
Good thread with insight into providing value to teammates/employees/mentees who are not necessarily driving to move up the ladder in the traditional sense.
Kim Scott talks about this in her book "Radical Candor" [1], and I agree with her perspective. A well rounded team needs people who looking to take on big new projects, but also people who become deep domain experts. Sometimes called a "guru". People who don't want to progress are this latter group.
The key is to (1) make this arrangement explicit and regularly check in, and (2) find non-promotion ways of rewarding and recognizing good work. This will be dependent on the person, and isn't as clear cut as the promotions track.