Identifying
High Potential
Building Your Future Talent Pipeline
At Mercer Talent Enterprise, we define high potential leaders as those who have the capacity, mindset and drive to exponentially contribute to the success of their organization.
They are ‘force multipliers’ raising the bar for others and particularly for their direct reports and teams.
Separating Fact from Fiction.
Some Truths and Myths About High Potentials
Past performance is not always an indicator of future potential.
Research by Mercer Talent Enterprise establishes that only 4 of every 10 high performers are also high potential.
Hence, organization’s should refrain from using performance ratings or manager recommendations as part of any talent identification process.
Conversations around ready now, ready in 1-2 years may not be the best talent strategy.
While high potential talent may be driven to advance their own career, they always put the needs of the organization’s before their own.
An overemphasis on their individual readiness and career growth without clarity on how they would achieve organizational growth is inconsistent and incomplete.
Most people focused organization’s should already know who their Hi-Po’s are.
Organization’s with robust people and talent processes should already know who their current high potentials are. Your current high potentials will be vocal and visible.
The key objective of any good high potential program is to identify the “Shy-Po’s” – those hidden and under-represented pools of talent who may be less visible.
Define Your Purpose.
Clearly Articulate the Objectives and Outcomes from Any Talent Identification Process
Potential
Po.ten.tial
- Capable of being but not yet in existence
- Latent
- Having possibility, capability
- An inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being
– Merriam Webster Dictionary
The very definition of potential helps us appreciate that assessing human behavior is complex, especially when we are seeking to identify future talent.
It requires a multi-faceted approach to identifying potential. It is absolutely critical to ensure that the assessment criteria and program objectives are clearly articulated before starting any talent assessment project.
- Potential to be effective in a specific role?
- Potential to be effective in a particular function?
- Potential to be effective at a particular level?
- Potential to take up future leadership roles?
- Potential to move up the organizational hierarchy in an accelerated timeframe?
- Potential to manage complexity and lead transformations?
Defining High Potential.
At Mercer Talent Enterprise, we define high potential leaders as those who have the innate talent as well as the future capacity to exponentially impact the success of their organization. They are ‘role models’ and ‘force multipliers’ raising the bar for others, and particularly for their direct reports.
A high potential employee is someone with the ability, engagement, and aspiration to rise to and succeed in more senior, critical positions
High potential is defined concretely as “your capacity to step into a role that is two levels or more above the one you currently hold.”
“High potentials consistently and significantly outperform their peer groups in a variety of settings and circumstances. While achieving these superior levels of performance, they exhibit behaviors that reflect their companies’ culture and values in an exemplary manner.
Moreover, they show a strong capacity to grow and succeed throughout their careers within an organization – more quickly and effectively than their peer groups do.”
- High Potential Talent:
- Think beyond themselves, positively impact others
- Deeply care about the organization, demonstrate enterprise leadership
- Willing to make career concessions in the short term, for the best interest of the team or organization
Introducing Our New Thinking On High Potential Identification.
Based on research by Mercer Talent Enterprise, assessment of future potential is complex and multi-faceted, and requires a multi-modal approach to ensure that the process is objective, robust and future-proofed.
At Mercer Talent Enterprise, we define high potential leader as those who have the innate talent as well as the future capacity to exponentially impact the success of their organization.
Our Research on Critical Strengths and Behaviors Demonstrated by High Potential Leaders.
Mercer Talent Enterprise has identified critical individual behaviors and attributes that predict high potential leaders and high performing teams. (2019 – 2023)
26%
Higher Growth Mindset
21%
greater Resilience in dealing with setbacks and challenges
21%
higher Efficacy and a Personal Agency to get things done
High Potential
Leaders Step Up.
- Demonstrate 4 times* higher levels of accountability than others
- Have 37%* higher efficacy and a personal sense of agency to get things done
- Demonstrate more agility than the rest (54%* compared to 39%).
- Differ from others by 23%* in having a growth mindset, which is one of the highest predictors of high potentials
- Have 25%* more empathy, another critical predictor for future leaders
- They also showcase higher sense of collaboration than others (75%* versus 60%)
High Potential Leaders Focus On Others.
High Potential Leaders Are Resilient.
- Have 22%* greater resilience in dealing with setbacks and challenges compared to the rest
- Showcase 18%* more optimism than others
- Demonstrate 26%* higher comfort with ambiguity
- Have significantly higher purpose at 91%*
- Are driven by a sense of right and wrong, i.e. congruence (79%* versus 64%), one of the most critical predictors of high potential talent
- Believe that their personal values should align with their organization (90%* versus 79%)
High Potential Leaders Are Purpose Driven.
High Potential Leaders Are Committed.
- Showcase a high level of energy at 87%*
- Are willing to go about and beyond their day to day job, i.e. contribution at 87%*
- Demonstrate a higher level of perspective (71%* versus 57%)
Walkthrough Of Assessment Tools For High Potential Identification.
Tools may vary based on level of seniority, project purpose as well as client requirements.
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High potential talent assessment is a complex and multi-faceted process, which should include assessment of both innate and demonstrated potential.The Mercer Talent Enterprise’s proprietary approach to talent assessment is based on a best-in-class mixed methods, multi-modal approach established through extensive research and data insights |  POTENTIALSCORE | |||
SHAPELeadership Level(6 – 8 Hours) | Raven’s APM III | The Thriving Index® (TI)
Leadership Derailer Index® (LDI) | Work Perspective Index® (WPI)Alignment Perspective Index® | 1-1 Executive Assessment360 / Multi-Rater, Case Study, Role Play, In-Depth Behavioral Interview etc. |
GUIDEExperienced Manager Level(6 – 8 Hours) | AGILE L2 | The Thriving Index® (TI)
Leadership Derailer Index® (LDI) | Work Perspective Index® (WPI)Alignment Perspective Index® | 2-4 Executive Assessment360 / Multi-Rater, Case Study, Role Play, In-Depth Behavioral Interview etc. |
APPLYIndividual Contributor Level(4 – 6 Hours) | AGILE L1 | The Thriving Index® (TI) | Work Perspective Index® (WPI)Alignment Perspective Index® | 2-4 Executive Assessment360 / Multi-Rater, Case Study, Role Play, In-Depth Behavioral Interview etc. |
HIGH POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.
By deploying a multi-modal assessment approach, The Mercer Talent Enterprise has established a scientific, evidence-based approach to talent assessments, high potential identification and succession planning, powered by data analytics, and a progressive assessment technology.
