The Pearls and Perils of Identifying Potential

Abstract

Organizations today are increasingly focused on talent as a strategic asset and a competitive advantage for achieving business success. As a result, most major organizations have recognized the need for and outlined a formal process to identify and assess high‐potential talent. There is, however, little agreement within or between organizations on the definition and components of the concept of potential. The existing definitions and models of potential are often narrowly focused on only a few select factors and give little attention to the broad spectrum of potential talent in an organization. This article introduces a new integrated model of potential that incorporates previous literature and current assessment practice regarding high potentials, provides a coherent structure of potential, and is reflective of a variety of different talent pools. The model provides a useful method for answering the key question—Potential for what? Three key components of potential are described by the model: (a) foundational dimensions, (b) growth dimensions, and (c) career dimensions. Implications for assisting organizations in more effectively managing their high potential talent for strategic business objectives are discussed.

I-O Practice in Action: Solving the Leadership Potential Identification Challenge in Organizations

“…Definitions offered since by other scholars and practitioners are consistent with this approach, though they may emphasize certain aspects over others, such as skills and abilities, "how likely an individual is to learn and grow quickly as a leader" (Paese, Smith, & Byham, 2016, p. 90), outcomes, or "the ability to perform exceptionally well (at work for a reasonable amount of time) for their own benefit and that of the organization" (MacRae & Furnham, 2014, p. 17). The common denominator, however, is that we are predicting future leadership capability not current performance, which has often been a source of confusion in the academic literature in this area (Silzer & Church, 2009a).…”

“…Silzer and Dowell (2010) have argued that identifying potential talent is an important component of an effective talent management system. Silzer and Church go further and state that "the singular ability to define and identify that elusive variable known as potential in an individual or group of individuals is considered a competitive advantage in the marketplace" (Silzer & Church, 2009a, p. 377) and suggest that identifying potential leadership talent is a critical strategic objective for an organization (Church & Silzer, 2014;Silzer & Church, 2009a).…”

“…We summarized the available research and the current state of models of potential, and we provided a broad integration for understanding the critical components of potential (Silzer & Church, 2009a, 2009b. The models we focused on were typically well supported by research from leading I-O psychology practice consulting firms.…”

“…Although elements of the BluePrint differ in their ability to be directly addressed through development efforts (Church, 2014;Silzer & Church, 2009a), by integrating the two designs, the feedback is provided in a behavioral framework, which enables maximum developmental impact for the program participants (e.g., rather than just report on a person's cognitive ability, the focus for the participant is on his or her strategic thinking and decision making). By integrating the BluePrint with the LEF, the organization is leaning forward in ensuring a holistic platform for developing leaders at all levels.…”

“…The BluePrint identifies a new structure for leadership potential that involves three types of predictor dimensions of potential: foundational, growth, and career dimensions (Silzer & Church, 2009a, 2009b.…”