 
Potential is measurable and predictable
However, past performance in itself is not an adequate guide. We need to know not just how people have behaved in the past, but how they will think and act in the future. So how do we recognise whether someone has potential and how far they can go in an organisation? Our starting point is that known problems do not require a great deal of thinking about. Future, unknown problems do. Potential is future career capacity. Higher Levels of "Thinking" As a person moves to more senior jobs, their work demands change in quality as well as quantity. Solving problems at higher, more complex levels is different from Problem Analysis at lower, less demanding levels. It requires more than analysis, it needs the addition of Creative Thinking and Judgement. The capability to integrate larger and larger amounts of information becomes essential to success, which in turn calls for higher levels of capability to generalise and conceptualise. Higher Levels of "Doing" To undertake an action, the first requirement is to accept personal responsibility and have the Drive for producing a result. Life in general and working life in particular is rarely straightforward - there are setbacks and disappointments along the way, and it is personal Resilience to persist with alternative approaches that helps us through them. Finally, we often need to get things done with and/or through other people and the capabilities involved here are associated with Emotional Intelligence. The capability to handle increasingly complex projects and relationships is the key to success. Potential for what? To answer this question, after many years of research and experience, we have designed a Rolescoping™ framework of eight core transferable leadership qualities:
Together, they provide a very precise understanding of career step changes associated with:
Development Centres ++ Line Managers are the "eyes and ears" of an organisation, so they are generally in the best position to identify people seen as having potential. They are also best placed to "test" this potential by providing "stretch" opportunities. In most organisations, all of this is formalised through the Performance Development Review process. However, in our experience a focused, one-day Development Centre can bring that additional confidence needed when organisations are seeking:
For an insight into case studies of some of the organisations we have worked with and more information on the research and practical experience we can offer, please contact Sue Bell at: sue@wadenhoeconsultancy.com. |
