If you think about your team members, we are certain you can think of high potential employees who stand out from the others. There are usually distinct reasons why these individuals are highly efficient, but it is mostly because they have an aptitude for training and curiosity for growth.
These are people you think of first when putting staff forward for promotions, bonuses, or other incentives. However, just because these members have strong points, does not mean they are high potential employees. This is what we will help you to determine.
High potential employees are valuable assets and investments because they go beyond what is expected of them and motivate others to do better. That is why time and resources must be invested in identifying high potential employees to fulfill leadership positions.
By understanding our eight powerful qualities to develop the necessary skills and expertise employees need for the future, you can minimize the disruptive effects of promotion and succession planning situations.
Related: The 8 Clear Characteristics Of A High Performing Team.
Defining High Potential Employees
To qualify as a high potential employee, you should be able to deliver indispensable value in an ever-changing world.
These individuals are unique as they exhibit the necessary skills for a leadership or management position. They are ambitious and take initiative in all their tasks. They have a hunger for more responsibilities and want to excel in their current roles.
In fact, high potential employees are 91% more valuable to a business than non-high-potential employees.
At FutureFit Academy, we can help support individuals, teams, leaders, and organizations, with an online center of excellence that helps you master the skills, knowledge, and behaviors required to deliver indispensable value.
The Difference Between High Potential & High-Performance Employees
High-performance employees are those who excel in their current roles and crush goals like exceeding their sales quarter targets. They can work well by themselves and can stay focused on the tasks at hand. However, they typically do not possess the soft skills like leadership or a ‘beginner’s mind’ to be a great leader.
Having the ability to be more open, receptive, and curious in our daily lives allows us to unlock deeper creativity, flexibility, and resilience to challenges…A skill all influential leaders must possess.
Also, high potential employees are a strong asset when it comes to management roles. They have the soft skills necessary to learn the role and lead their team toward attaining company goals.
Why Do You Need Soft Skills?
When you are working in a leadership role, soft skills are imperative because they will help your company overall. For example, having empathy allows your leaders to connect with other employees and see situations from their perspectives.
We provide FutureFit Skills that enable future leaders to develop these soft skills to help catapult your company’s success long-term.
It is important that business owners know when to promote high potential employees versus high-performance employees. Why? Because 90% of high performers have difficulty adjusting to the higher levels of responsibilities required to lead.
Therefore, mistaking high-performance employees for high-potential employees can cost your company time, money, and potentially even employees.
Eight Powerful Qualities To Find Your High Potential Employees
When looking for high potential employees you must observe your team members and identify the ones who have managerial or supervisory skills necessary to lead your team in the right direction.
We suggest using the below qualities when trying to find high potential employees.
You want these individuals to be knowledgeable and assertive with an excellent reputation.
Related: Build Self-Esteem And Assertiveness In The Workplace With Our 6 Powerful Tips.
1. An Assertive Leader
You will notice that high potential employees are assertive and take initiative to help whenever they can. They are willing and able to take the lead and ensure your team accomplished your goals. They also strive to go beyond their job description to help fill the gaps in your company.
2. Think Like An Entrepreneur
High potential employees tend to think about the future often. They are naturally forward thinkers and stay on top of trends. They are familiar with all aspects of the business and are always looking at the overall picture.
Your high potential employees are 100% invested in your company’s mission and work to support their teams when needed.
3. An Action-Taker & Analytical Person
Every company needs a person who can make a tough decision and stick to it. More importantly, your company needs high potential employees who can make decisions when needed and act immediately.
4. Flexible In Demanding Environments
The world of work today happens at an insane pace and so high potential employees must be flexible and adaptable when changes come flooding in.
Your high-potential employees must be able to make quick changes when needed.
5. Committed & Engaged
High potential employees are exceptionally loyal to your company goals and enjoy asking questions.
They want to be clear about the direction of the business and appreciate gaining a deeper understanding of their tasks.
Still, your high-potential employees have an innate desire to learn and a curiosity to take your team to the next level.
6. Builds Positive Relationships
Lookout for high potential employees who can get along well with diverse types of people. Employees who can create positive internal and external relationships are well-fitted for leadership roles.
Their ability to form meaningful and positive workplace relationships helps keep your team motivated and engaged.
7. Performs Leadership Duties
You will find high potential employees among those who can perform leadership roles before they are appointed as a leader. These individuals are high-value assets to your team.
High performance employees are also your employees who need little-to-no direction. They can take a task and run with it, meaning you will spend less time guiding and supporting them along the way.
8. Talented At Their Job
Of course, they have talent!
High potential employees are people who excel in their current roles. Only the best future leaders are those working their hardest to push themselves and their team members in the right direction.
Creating High Potential Employees
When you are ready to invest in creating high potential employees, we suggest having a strong, reliable development program.
You could implement a mentorship program by pairing a high potential employee with a more experienced leader so they can learn the details of leadership roles before jumping in. Their mentor can offer guidance, coaching, and feedback as they take on their new roles.
It is also beneficial to offer focused career plans, so employees know what their future holds. Not only will they see a road map of where they are and where they can go within your company, but it also reassures your employees that you are invested in their future.
Implementing programs like our FutureFit Academy offers are incredibly useful because each employee can learn at their own pace to refine skills and industry knowledge. These learning programs also enable high potential employees to network with other like-minded professionals, creating an expansive web of support and guidance that employees can draw upon in times of need.
Stay Ahead Of The Game
Never stop looking for high potential employees and keep an eye out for those who have a desire to lead and are flexible in challenging environments.
It is important to develop these employees since they can directly and positively impact your business’s revenue to help you accomplish your goals. By investing in development opportunities, offering mentorship programs, and creating individualized career plans, you can better grow these high potential employees into future leaders.
Create a team of talented employees with our skills courses that provide indispensable value to build a stronger workforce. To learn more about the benefits you will gain from implementing our courses, contact us today!
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