The war for talent is heating up globally. Talent is scarce, expensive, and hard to retain. It is no surprise then that high potential employees are in high demand.
High potential employees constitute approximately 3-5% of the top level in every organization and receive special training and developmental opportunities. Plus they form an inevitable part of succession planning. So what is it that makes these employees so sought after?
1. A well-etched personal mission statement – High potential individuals possess remarkable clarity about their life purpose and goals.
2. Thrive on change – Uncertainty and ambiguity remain the number one challenge of our times. High potential individuals are highly adaptable to this, and prepare both themselves and the organization for future roles.
3. Avid learners – They are adept at quickly assembling and interpreting information and drawing insights to create innovative work ideas.
4. Powerful communicators – High potential individuals have both strong written and spoken communication skills. They are adept at articulating their observations, needs, suggestions and have the ability to persuade and inspire different groups of people.
5. Inclusive – High potential leaders make people a part of their success. As a result they are generally liked and respected. They are usually good at drawing out talent and developing talent in the organization.
6. Deep expertise and business acumen – Being curious and open to learning, they gain a deep understanding of how the business works and the technical issues that are fundamental to success.
7. Role models – They usually display a high level of integrity and inspire the team with their positive approach and consistent performance.
8. Willingness to innovate and take risks – They are usually led by their passion for the subject, including a desire to learn and excel. Hence they are not scared to take risks and try out new ideas.
9. High degree of self-awareness – High performance employees are usually more inner-directed. They spend considerable time in identifying and honing their skills as well as working on their weaknesses.
10. Good at developing key relationships and networking – They know how to engage and network with diverse groups of people with a focus on collaboration rather than manipulation.
11. Confident yet humble – While they are confident about their skills, they are not arrogant or dismissive of others.
Identifying, grooming & coaching high potential employees in your organization therefore remains a powerful quality of great leaders!