7 Signs of a High Potential

Are you considered a high potential by your organization? No? Not sure? Think you should be? In this post, I'll share with you what managers are commonly looking for when identifying high potentials in their teams. As you read the list, consider how you might alter your own behavior patterns to demonstrate your potential more clearly.

What's a High Potential?

The term High Potential, or HiPo, is used by business leaders and HR professionals during the talent review process to designate individuals who are targeted for rapid promotion through the organization. If you are not familiar with talent reviews and the talent management Nine Box, please read my 9/24 post, The Three Kingdoms of Talent Management. HiPos are typically top performers who also show a high degree of potential for advancement...in other words, the folks placed in the top-right cell of the Nine Box. Sometimes they are told that they are HiPos, but often they are not told explicitly. Regardless, this post may help you gauge where you are and how you can get noticed as a HiPo.

Indicators of Potential

When I train managers on the talent review process, their biggest struggle is with deciding on an individual's potential. As well they should struggle with it, because potential involves predicting someone's likelihood of future success given higher levels of responsibility. Unlike performance results, potential can't be observed directly. It must be inferred. Even so, there are observable behaviors that managers can use as indicators to gauge potential. Different organizations define these criteria differently, but based on my experience with different companies and the discussions I've observed among managers, here's a list of the top 7 indicators.

7. Success in Past Promotions

If someone has been promoted previously and responded well to those new responsibilities, adapted quickly to the new dynamics, and showed flexibility and resilience, that is a positive indicator that they will likely respond well to future promotions. If they were promoted and struggled to find their way and eventually adapted to it, that is a less positive indicator. Failure in previous opportunities will unfortunately count against them, regardless of what some of us might say about the virtues of failure.

6. Alignment of Values

Jack Welch recently posted an Influencer article highlighting the importance of values in deciding on readiness for advancement. Specifically, if someone has embraced the values of the organization, internalized them, and now reflects them in the way they approach their work every day, that should be a very positive indicator. For example, if you work in a very collaborative organization but prioritize your own individual success at the expense or exclusion of others, your perceived potential will be diminished. If, on the other hand, you have "drunk the Kool-Aid," as they say, and embody the values of the prevailing culture, the opposite will happen.

Keep in mind, however, that as organizations are constantly being acquired by other companies with different cultures, and leaders are often brought in from the outside to change a company's culture, the prevailing culture can change, which will impact how values are perceived in this process. For example, if a new senior leader is hired from the outside and values operating performance over innovation, that could alter how your potential is now gauged.

5. Readiness and Willingness to Take on More

Although your ability to handle your current workload is important, potential is more about your ability and willingness to take on more responsibilities now. If someone looks like they're struggling to keep their head above water, that's a negative indicator. If they're able to handle their current responsibilities with ease and are able but not willing to take on more, that's also a negative. But if they're able to demonstrate grace under fire while handling their current workload and are willing and able to absorb more work when their manager needs it, that's a very positive indicator. Those tend to be the go-to people for the manager, when there's a problem to solve or an issue to be handled. They are able to flex their bandwidth to take on more and are seen as open to doing so.

4. Aspiration to Lead

High potentials invest their own time into developing their technical and leadership skills, and they proactively engage their leaders in career development conversations. In other words, they explicitly voice a desire to advance and to lead, then back that up with their actions, and take advantage of any opportunities that present themselves. While others work hard every day and expect to be promoted on merit or tenure, high potentials understand that advancement typically goes to those who want it the most, so they don't wait for the tap on the shoulder. They reach out for the brass ring at every opportunity.

3. Breadth of Experience and Perspective

High potentials generally demonstrate an active curiosity and savvy about how the business as a whole and the broader industry work. One positive indicator is that they have spent time rotating through other operating units, sites, regions and/or functions. Another is that they have been involved in projects that involved close collaboration with other units. Those cross-functional, cross-entity experiences give individuals the breadth of experience and perspective needed as they rise through the organization. On the other hand, individuals who have locked themselves away in one silo for many years will have a difficult time demonstrating potential for advancement.

2. Business Acumen

The ability to think and communicate in the language of business is important to anyone who is moving up in the organization. Even moving out of a highly technical role--such as an engineer or scientist--into a broader leadership position requires a certain degree of business acumen to be successful. Moving beyond those first line management positions into mid level and senior leadership roles, business acumen becomes essential. If you're seen as someone who understands, appreciates, and values business metrics, drivers, and strategy and can integrate your technical expertise with business acumen, that is a tremendously positive indicator.

1. Influence

High potentials are often seen as individuals who influence down, across, and up within the organization. They are often outspoken yet tactful thought leaders as well as subject matter experts. Their ability to influence enables them to rally people to a cause, gain consensus on solutions, and drive change. People who influence don't always need to be extroverted and personable. Some can influence through persuasion, through their passion, or through the credibility that comes with trust. However they do it, influencing others is a top indicator for potential.

There are certainly other indicators and each organization defines potential differently to suit their purposes. Also, individual managers interpret the criteria for potential differently, which is why talent review meetings ask managers to share their perspectives with each other and negotiate some common ground. Even so, individual discretion rules the day, so you're best bet is to get close to your manager and discover how he/she assesses potential. Most importantly, remember this. Having potential and demonstrating that potential are two different things. Take responsibility for your own career and find ways to demonstrate clearly not only your value to the organization today but your potential to do more tomorrow.

Would love to hear your perspectives, so please comment and share your thoughts.

Gus Prestera, PhD