
High potential programmes are there to make the most of your rising star employees by delivering high targeted training. Once you have identified these HiPo traits in employees working in your organisation, they should be nurtured and measured as part of your high potential leadership development program. Competitiveness - HiPo’s display ‘useful competitiveness’ which is focussed on the success of the organisation, competitive advantage of teams, departments and the business overall.They are willing to listen to unpopular or differing opinions. Ambiguity acceptance - HiPo’s thrive in complex working environments, always seeking out further information.They are proactive when it comes to solving problems. Risk approach - HiPo’s aren’t afraid to challenge, confront and solve difficult situations.Curiosity - HiPo’s are adaptable to change and willing to consider new and creative ideas or working methods if there is a chance they could add value to the business.Adjustment - HiPo’s will demonstrate high tolerance and resilience in stressful situations, as well as the ability to adapt quickly without difficulty.They are effective strategic planners, demonstrating high conscientiousness through strong planning, objective-directed behaviour and discipline. Conscientiousness - HiPo’s are self-motivated and driven to achieve.Personality traits of high potential employees So just how do you measure potential? How do you identify potential leaders? Remember, while a high potential employee will probably look different from business to business, there are a few key traits to watch out for. Equally, a high performing sales agent who hits their target every month isn’t guaranteed to have the people skills required to train and develop others to achieve the same levels of success.Īccording to Ready, Conger & Hill, the attributes needed for leadership roles can be spotted in only 3-5% of high performing employees. Just because someone is performing well in their current job role, that doesn’t mean they are the most suitable candidate for promotion.įor example, a high performing nurse who receives regular praise for their patient care and bedside manner won’t necessarily have the relevant skills to lead the team as a ward manager. High potential vs high performanceĪ common misconception is that high performance is the same as high potential, however, this is not necessarily the case. Some trait levels are viewed as indicating a high potential for success, whereas others highlight characteristics which could affect the success of an otherwise high potential employee. Responses to the assessment are reflected for each of these traits - too much or not enough of a particular trait will have advantages as well as disadvantages to the assessment results. The HPTI is designed to measure Conscientiousness, Adjustment, Curiosity, Risk Approach, Ambiguity, Acceptance and Competitiveness. It was designed using an ‘optimality’ model, which assumes that certain personality traits can be considered ‘optimal’ according to the requirements of a job role. The High Potential Trait Indicator (HPTI) was developed by Ian McRae and Adrian Furnham in 2006. However, there are tools and approaches which can help to identify high potential employees. Many organisations lack a standardised or analytical method for identifying high potential employees. Instead, they rely solely on the instincts of management staff or ad-hoc observations as part of the performance management or appraisal process. With the increasing competition and costs associated with recruiting top performers, as well as their potential impact on business performance, it is becoming more important for businesses to identify high potential employees in their own teams. Interested in the future success of the company.

Willing to take on responsibilities outside of their job description.Happy to receive feedback and adjust their performance accordingly.

