PCCA Journal|3
rd
Quarter 2015
10
and energy, but the payoffs are great. The three main steps
in building a high potential program with a clear strategy
are:
• Clarifying competencies,
• Identifying high potentials, and
• Building the high potential program.
Clarifying Competencies
When building a high potential program, organizations must
first identify the specific competencies required for success-
ful leadership. Competencies are different from the basic job
duties that you might find in a job description. The most
effective competency framework identifies the specific skills
and traits that separate the highest performers from aver-
age performers. While it may seem like an easy step to skip,
establishing clear criteria for success informs the rest of the
high-potential program. If we truly understand what differ-
entiates the success from average performance, then we can
begin to evaluate and develop candidates in these key areas.
Though every organization is different, competencies
such as talent management, effective communication, self-
awareness, and results-orientation might represent a few that
are critical for a high-potential leader to master. For example,
if an organization identifies the need for high potentials to
provide deep and meaningful feedback, this guiding compe-
tency will help clarify expectations for what high potentials
must master in their roles and beyond. Once competencies
have been identified, organizations can start to develop these
competencies in their high potentials (through executive
coaching or training, for example). Achieving these compe-
tencies should define success in one’s role and future career
trajectory.
High-Potential Identification
Top organizations expend a great deal of effort on effectively
identifying their high potentials. Knowing that not every
employee is a high potential, how can you identify these in-
dividuals? The most effective method is to assess candidates’
performance and potential objectively. This is critical because
in the absence of an objective process with clearly identi-
fied criteria, subjectivity, and favoritism tend to creep in. An
objective identification process allows firms to separate out
current performance levels from future potential. Current
high performers may be great contributors to the organiza-
tion, for example, but they may have relatively low potential
for future growth. Likewise, current midlevel performers
may have great potential for future growth with the proper
training and development. Without a close examination of
different candidates, we could invest in developing the wrong
people or miss an opportunity to develop a future star player.
Indicators for potential often include learning agility, a pas-
sion for increased responsibility, and self-drive.
Assessing high potentials also requires a closer look at how
each individual aligns with the organization’s overall purpose
and values. Many companies get into trouble by promoting
individuals who may be great performers but are fundamen-
tally misaligned with the organization’s stated purpose and
values. This can demoralize other individuals who recognize
the disconnect. To achieve success, organizations develop-
ing a high-potential program must ensure that the candidates
closely align with the vision and culture of the organization.
Having both current and future leaders who walk the walk is
a foundational element of shaping a strong culture.
High-Potential Program
Once the organization clearly identifies the required compe-
tencies for each leadership position and identifies its high-
potential leader group, the next step is to build a compelling
and skill-enriching high-potential program. This program
should be designed to move the participants from their cur-
rent state to a desired future state. Many organizations create
unnecessary issues for themselves by cloaking the high-
potential program in secrecy. Instead, the program should be
fully transparent across the company, including information
about the participants and the selection process. When orga-
nizations invest a great deal of time clarifying competencies
for success and identifying leaders based on clear and objec-
tive criteria, those who are/aren’t included in a high potential
development program appreciate the rigor of the approach
and tend to agree with participant decisions. Greater trans-
parency can also be a great motivating tool to more individu-
als interested in what they need to do to be included in the
high-potential group. This may inspire them to take a deeper
look at their own levels of performance.
Because high-potential programs face insurmountable
challenges when top leaders aren’t involved, the programs
must have the right levels of executive and senior leadership
support. Senior leaders will need to assist in the process of
identifying the high potentials, communicate the strategy of
the program to the high-potential group and the broader or-
ganization, and play an integral role in the various stages of
the progress. A high-potential program also requires commit-
ment from key leaders, especially in the early stages. Internal
champions must manage program logistics and ensure the
Developing Your High-Potential Leaders
Continued from page 9