5 Must Haves for

Developing
High Potentials

High potential employees are the

pool of leaders who have what it
takes to run your future business.
They are the 20% who do 80% of the work, and who have the
ability and drive to take on more responsibility and seniority.
They are your homegrown talent and your most critical
competitive advantage. Programs designed to identify,
develop, and keep these people must be done right.

But recognizing the business advantage of high potentials

and doing something about it are two very different things.
Companies and HR departments are faced with plenty of
challenges in creating powerful high potential programs and
often struggle with answering key questions, such as: Who
200 King Street West, Suite 1301A
really is a high potential in your organization? How do you
Toronto, ON Canada M5H 3T4
pinpoint those key players? What do you do with them once
416.945.6611
you know who they are? What are the risks of differentiating
them from other employees? How do you keep them from
www.kilberrygroup.com jumping ship?
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There is no cookie-cutter solution for creating a employees tend to develop concerns with
fairness and believe the process is based on
successful high potential program. Instead, favoritism or politics2, which can eventually
potential is context-dependent, and a undermine the value of the program.

development program should stem from your

organizations culture, strategy, and future Robust Assessment of Potential
leadership demands. With that said, there are Once top talent has been identified
several must haves that all effective high using your organizations definition of
potential, these employees can now
potential programs share in common:
gain maximum benefit from a robust
and individualized assessment of their strengths,
Defining the Criteria areas for development, and potential blind
High Performance High Potential spots. The focus of these comprehensive
assessments should be future-oriented what
The biggest hurdle most companies
does this high potential need to do,
face is deciding on a clear and
experience, and improve, in order to realize
consistent definition of potential.
their full potential in a more senior role in the
Getting this right is crucial to getting only the
organization? An in-depth assessment that uses
best people on the bench. Research shows that
multiple tools, such as an insight-building
a clear history of high performance is a
interview, leadership style assessment, 360
necessary, but insufficient, condition for high
degree feedback, and problem-solving
potential. In other words, just because an
measure, is the best way for high potentials to
employee has consistently delivered results in
gain self-awareness and is a must in order to
their current role does not mean that they have
develop a meaningful and worthwhile
what it takes for more complex and senior roles.
development plan3.
In fact, as little as 1 in 7 high performers are
actually high potentials 1 . A definition of high
potential, therefore, must be multi-faceted and
should include an evaluation of the Communicate Wisely
employees:
Companies are often concerned with
the risks associated with differentiating
Experience Do they have a proven track high potentials from their peers. But
record of success? research shows that the real gamble is
when organizations lack transparency. For
Motivation Do they genuinely strive for greater instance, 33% of high-potentials not formally
scope and responsibility? Have they been informed of their status say they are looking for
proactive in getting these opportunities? another job, versus only 14% of those who are
told4. It seems as though transparency helps to
Character Do they have the right DNA for
encourage patience among high potential
senior management in your company? Are their
employees who are highly mobile. They know
strengths in-line with what the organization
they are talented, headhunters know they are
needs?
talented, and they just want to make sure the
Learning Orientation Do they have the organization is noticing. As a result, it is best to
capacity for greater complexity? Are they share a high potential status openly with the
driven by continuous development? individual, with the caveat that the status is
earned and not a guarantee or promise. This
The importance of defining criteria cannot be label sends a powerful message that the
understated - agreeing upon a common organization values their contributions and is
definition of potential is crucial in formalizing the willing to invest in their future.
identification of high-potentials. Otherwise,

2 2014 Kilberry Leadership Advisors.

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Pivotal Experiences and Missteps High potential programs are vital to filling a

The best ways for high potentials to solid executive bench and the entire process is
prepare for senior management roles an important investment decision for an
are for them to gain new and unique
experiences, experiment, and make mistakes. organization. With these must haves in mind, it is
High potentials learn most when they are possible to develop and execute a program
stretched slightly beyond their limit and are
given feedback along the way5. Consider the that focuses on the practices that really make a
experiences in your organization that have led difference to the readiness of future leaders.
people to gain significant leadership traction.
For example, give them a short-term assignment
in a different geography or division, have them
lead a strategic initiative, or assign a group of
high potentials to solve a real organizational References
problem. Ideally these assignments will involve
1 Corporate Executive Board (2014). The HR guide to
novelty and the need for flexibility. Experience is
the best teacher and talented people are able identifying high-potentials. Retrieved from
to learn from, and extract meaning, from their http://ceb.shl.com/us/solutions/talent-mobility/high-
potential/.
mistakes. Behaviors and judgment calls that
may appear instinctual for senior executives, 2 AMA Enterprise staff (2011). Identifying and
are in most cases, the result of important lessons Developing High-Potential Talent. New York: AMA
they learned early on. Enterprise.

3Aon Hewitt (2013). Building the right high potential

Showcase High Potentials pool: How organizations define, assess, and
calibrate their critical talent. Retrieved from
The wish list of every high potential http://www.aon.com/attachments/human-capital-
includes access to senior leadership consulting/2013_Building_the_Right_High_Potential_P
and visibility across the organization. ool_white_paper.pdf.
Being profiled as top talent among executives
and peers is an important motivator for this 4 Campbell, M. and Smith, R. (2010). High-potential
group6, and is a low-cost means to provide talent: A view from inside the leadership pipeline.
enormous value. To do so, create a platform Retrieved from
where everyone knows the high potentials and http://www.ccl.org/leadership/pdf/research/highPo
tentialTalent.pdf.
wants to work with them. Involve them in high-
profile work and surround them with other 5 Loew, L. (2011). The art and science of building a
talented people. High potentials in groups or high-potential strategy: Key practices to maximize
cohorts can learn from each other, share the performance of top talent. Bersin & Associates.
experiences, and build relationships across the
company. Showcasing these individuals 6 Fernndez-Aroz, C., Groysberg, B. & Nohria, N.
provides them with more opportunities to be (2011). How to hang on to your high potentials.
coached and mentored and ultimately raises Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2011/10/how-to-hang-
the collective potential of the group. on-to-your-high-potentials/ar/1.

Senior leaders should also be involved from the

start. High potentials with access to senior
management have a better understanding of
how these leaders think and work, and what
their roles really demand. Senior management For more information, contact:
teams who commit to the development of high Dr. Katherine Alexander
potentials signal their appreciation for talent kalexander@kilberrygroup.com
within the organization. 416.945.6611

3 2014 Kilberry Leadership Advisors.