It Takes Three to Tango Come Dance with High Potentials, High Protentials, and Contributors

Parsimonious Haiku

It takes diversity,

To get the mix tuned and right,

For the outcome desired.

Abstract: There are three buckets of talent needed to flourish continuously over time across changing conditions and situations. High Potentials, Protentials, and Material Contributors. Each needs to be managed and developed differently

You have heard the phrase "it takes two to Tango"? In this case, the dance floor is a bit more complex. We see three key talent buckets: High Potentials, High Protentials, and Material Contributors, each requiring unique management and development. Adding to the complexity, there's a fourth category- everyone else. Every organization needs a balanced mix of the first three groups, with as few in the fourth as compassionately possible.

The acquisition, placement and deployment of the first two buckets is the most important to meeting current organizational and individual goals and objectives as well as staffing for the uncertain future with adjustive management and leadership talent at the top.

We have noted in other posts, that the roughly agreed upon top leadership – which is estimated to be about 2% of the employee headcount, are the ones who individually and collectively make 80% of the material decisions. Ideally, that 2% should all be validated High Potentials and Protentials. The mix depends upon the specific business and market challenges and strategies of each organization. Think about it: What if these critical organizational decisions were being made by someone who was not adequately prepared or lacked the necessary KSAs and perspective?? The more change and challenges an organization faces, the more HiPos are needed. The more stability and scaling up, the more HiPros.

Labeling notes:

·?????? High Potentials has been a stable label – defined as people who can do well at a top level in any organization or industry because of their mix of Learning agility, VUCA affinity, EQ, Need for Achievement, and Cognitive Complexity.

·?????? High Protential has been variously labeled master performer, irreplaceable pro, high performer, or professional performer.?

·?????? Material Contributor means has been good where they are for now or well placed.

·?????? Others – everyone else

?An interesting framing is that most High Potentials become High Protentials in their last few posts.

Think about your own career for a moment—consider where you started and the experiences that have shaped your professional performance and growth. ?There are six stages of careers -- key points in a career that outline unique requirements and development, from gaining independence and real-world experience, through early career roles and leadership, to advancing into middle management and final career positions.

Those six Career Stages are:

1.??? Leaving home and making more independent life and career choices and decisions – being on your own

2.??? From schooling to internships, where your observed performance feedback is available in a more real-world environment – you get evaluated

3.??? Graduation to your first three jobs, usually two team member jobs (individual contributor) and promotion to team leader, supervisor, or manager

4.??? Becoming vetted and validated to be in one of the three talent cadres – determined to be valuable to the organization

5.??? Moving up into middle management responsibilities – managing managers

6.??? Moving to final destination roles and assignments – managing organizations

Early identification across the stages is possible - if you know what to look for. We have a blog about that here.

The KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Attributes) you are born with, plus life and work development, academic choices, performance, and aspirations, roughly determine which bucket you start in—Po, Pro, Material Contributor, or other.

The Po and Pro buckets need a defined or target career destination to create and execute unique Individual Development Plans (IDPs).

It all starts with early Performance. Performance in the first three assignments locks in the early bucket evaluation (evaluators could be three or more bosses and bosses' bosses, 21+ team colleagues plus three or more HR and TM observers, and possibly a mentor as the vetting base). At that point, destination development starts. And the most important question becomes, Potential for what for the Po and Pro buckets?

Pros - In the case of the final path and destination development of High Protentials is concerned, what is the specialty, and how broad are the career choices? Logistics? IT? Manufacturing? Finance? Asian markets? Legal or PR? And what are the needs in the top 2% X years out, as best we can estimate? Their development is mostly adding depth and exposure to a narrow domain, technology or function following a probable 30/35/35/25 (experience, people, education, hardship) scheme.? Optimize individual technical expertise to effectively lead that area and teach others the same technology.

To retain them, pay them well and give them affirmation and respect.

Pos - With High Potentials, it is zigzag diverse exposures and assignments to prepare for leadership in an uncertain future, following the 70/20/10/25 (experience, people, education, hardship) meme. Also, careful boss assignments aligned with the lessons to be learned. Watch out for bad bosses managing a high potential – it could kill the effort. ?It’s the number one reason why people leave organizations.

To retain them, aggressively manage their assignments and listen to their ideas.

Generally, it is the Protentials that teach the Potentials on their way up to the top.? Acknowledge them for that extra responsibility.

MatCos - With the Material Contributors, those who are doing well today where they are - executing the plan, doing the work, worth their pay, they just need to keep up with the times to continue to add reasonable value as time moves on. Development is probably 10/45/45/25. If they do not grow with the times, they may slip into the dreaded ‘Everyone Else’ bucket.

To retain them, treat them fairly, and respect the value they provide.

Characteristics of the Pos and Pros:

?Mindset

Pro - Go deep

Po - Sample and go Broad

Academics

Pro - Higher

Po - OK

Superpowers

Pro - Details, precision, dependability

Po - Patterns, metaphors, and connections

Come up to speed

Pro - Slower but longer tolerance to learn

Po - Faster and impatient to move on

Contribution

Pro - Steady, dependable, and incremental progress

Po - Creative and disruptive innovation

Ease of Managing

Pro -Easier

Po - Harder

Resources to Retain

Pro - Less

Po - More

Adoption

Pro - OK with proof

Po - Early adopters

As Developers of others

Pro - By process and passing on of lessons learned, instruction

Po - By example

Home

Pro - ProTechnical disciplines, foundational functions, operations

Po - Marketing, Financial Planning, Strategy, International

IDP Elements

Pro - 30/35/35/25

Po - 70/20/10/25

Normative Organizational needs in the top 2%

Pro - More

Po - Fewer

Availability in the talent population

Pro - Significantly more

Po - Very rare, maybe 5% of college degreed population

College programs

Pro - STEM and Finance

Po - Liberal Arts and Business

Developmental Mindset.? All things can be enhanced. People who are motivated to be better in a bucket or even move to a different bucket can, but most do not.

It is clearest that you can move up in job performance and work skills. Less clear, but certain is becoming more agile and EQ skilled.

Looked at all of this with the 9-box frame:

?4 – Solid Performer 7 - Protentials 9 – Legacy Pos

2 - Growing 5 – Utility, could go in any direction 8 - Doorstep away from 9

1 – All Others 3 – Depends on performance improvement 6 – Too early to judge?

Grid Note: a legitimate High Protential must have average learning agility to remain in that cell.? That’s because of the constant change that’s happening.

There are three developmental pathways or programming plus hybrids.

1.??? Vertical – development to perform better in specific fields – from 1 to 2 to 4 (Well Placed) or 3 to 5 to 7 (PROs) or 6 to 8 to 9. (Pos)

2.??? Horizontal – Development to enhance potential – from 4 to 7 to 9 or 2 to 5 to 8 or 1 to 3 to 6

3.??? Diagonal – Develop to move up a cell and to the right at the same time – most difficult

When clients ask whether there is a way to accelerate development, the answer is diagonal, the hardest, and the least likely. But it can be done.

There are also late bloomers, BUT they started late. They have missed many opportunities to build the success lessons of life and work. But it does happen. The same is true with legitimate High Protentials and Potentials who started in disadvantaged development environments. Those who break through the 25% hardship wall have especially well-developed grit and resourcefulness and a strong taste for achievement.

But first, you must get them (sourcing and recruiting). Then, you must hold them (orientation and engagement and competent management). And then you must play them (palpable development and assignmentology). And you must show them all you care (the whole village must play their respective parts).

Coaching note: We find many stuck in past history choices. They report - My uncle was an X, as well as my grandfather and father, so, therefore,, I became an X. It turns out that was not the best choice. They may be well paid for doing X, but they are not happy. Sometimes we can coach a disruptive career move by leaving the silo they are stuck in. Maybe it’ll take a temporary decrease in pay, but better opportunities and more engagement. And, of course, someone needs to be willing to take a chance on them. It happens.

So - it takes three to Tango – at least in the dance of Talent Management. It should be easy, but it’s not. Organizations must focus on High Potentials, Protentials, and Material Contributors—each requiring tailored management, handling, and development. Three different mindsets.?

Bob and LM

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