>Tips for Developing High-Potential Performers

>

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By Dr. Woody

A survey conducted by Right Management  reported that 84% of employees intend to leave their jobs in 2011.

This astounding number raises serious concerns for business owners and managers as turnover can be very costly. Add to this that those employees most likely to leave are typically the ones you want most to retain. They are your high-potential performers who are hungry for opportunity and willing to do whatever it takes to get to the next level.

To combat this impending exodus of top talent, employers are going to have to engage these rising stars and find ways to provide them with the kinds of opportunities that will keep them stimulated and on a path to success under their payroll.    

According to Nathan Hiller, assistant professor of management and faculty director of the Florida International University Center for Leadership High Potential Program, high-potential employees (HI-POs for short) are “those employees with the potential to reach fairly senior levels in the organization. They are your future managers and executives.” For this reason, organizations must identify their HI-POs and ensure they are being properly groomed. The future of your company will depend on HI-PO’s readiness to lead.  

Spotting HI-POs isn’t always easy. Hiller points out that it’s not just about strong performance or time on the job; it’s about the quality of learning that has occurred. Moving to the next level requires a capacity for managing others and the ability to think strategically, something not all top performers are necessarily suited for. Developing leaders takes time and money, so it’s important managers focus their efforts on those with the most potential to succeed.     

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When it comes to developing HI-POs, many companies don’t have formal mechanisms in place. Thus, it’s up to managers and executives to get creative and find informal ways of facilitating the growth of Hi-Pos. To help with this, Hiller shared a few tips:         

Encourage Self Insight: According to Hiller, “one of the key mechanisms for developing high-potential talent is encouraging critical self insight.”

Leadership is about influencing others to take action and influence starts with self knowledge; you have to know yourself before you can know and influence others. Part of the transition to management is learning to step back and work through people as opposed to doing it yourself. HI-Pos need to build self awareness by seeking out critical feedback from colleagues and key constituents. Managers should also consider the use of personality and values assessments, these tools are a great way to help HI-Pos  gain personal insight.     

Give Stretch Assignments: Making the leap from line producer to manager or from manager to executive requires stretching beyond comfort zones. Managers should identify one or two key competencies that HI-Pos should develop and find an assignment that will afford them the opportunity to demonstrate those competencies.     

Facilitate Interaction: When I worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, I was in an office with more than 1,000 people. Needless to say, it wasn’t the coziest environment.  The management team was constantly challenged to come up with ways to encourage meaningful interactions between key contributors. This challenge is certainly not unique. Companies, both large and small, struggle with connecting their own people.

Facilitating interaction is critical to leadership development because it allows for the exchange of ideas as well as the development of critical relationships. This is particularly important when it comes to HI-Pos because these individuals will ultimately have to work together to make critical business decisions. Managers should take the time to identify opportunities to get HI-Pos  together. Consider such things as quarterly meetings, informal get togethers, or special projects that will allow for regular and meaningful interactions.       

Leadership is something that must be continually developed. It’s up to managers and executives to identify and cultivate high-potential talent. Taking the time to raise HI-Pos as the future success of organizations will ultimately depend on their ability to lead. 

Michael “Dr. Woody” Woodward, PhD is a CEC certified executive coach trained in organizational psychology. Dr. Woody is author of The YOU Plan: A 5-step Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career in the New Economy and is the founder of Human Capital Integrated (HCI), a firm focused on management and leadership development. Dr. Woody also sits on the advisory board of the Florida International University Center for Leadership. Follow Dr. Woody on Twitter and Facebook 

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/03/28/tips-developing-high-potential-talent/#ixzz1HvRkWhr8

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>Tuning into their Brain – Employee behaviour for enhanced performance

>

Organizations have some form of program designed to nurture high-potential employees. However a recent study by the Corporate Executive Board revealed that 40% of “high-potential” job moves  produce disappointing results. Disengagement of employees also is remarkable: One in three emerging stars reported feeling disengaged from his or her company.  Even more striking, 12% of all the high potentials in the study said they were actively searching for a new job.  Why do companies have so much difficulty in their succession planning? The Corporate Executive Board’s research revealed that senior managers make misguided assumptions about these employees and take actions on their behalf that actually hinder their development. When dealing with high-potential employees, firms tend to make six common errors: assuming that all of them are highly engaged, equating current performance with future potential, delegating the management of high potentials down in the organization, shielding promising employees from early derailment, expecting stars to share the pain of organization-wide cutbacks, and failing to link high potentials and their careers to corporate strategy. In other words “tune into their brains”. Having knowledge of how our brain functions facilitates enhanced performance. Key points to take into account are: Learning should be broken down into “bite-size” to increase itsne absorbency and effectiveness. Allow time for your people to integrate learning into long-term memory.  Fairness and respect gives brain a chemical boost. Stress inhibits clear thinking. Uncertainty arouses fear that decreases the ability to make decisions. Employees need some ownership over situations to better accept change. Engaging people in more active learning techniques improves retention. And here are some things you should do to keep your top talent on track: don’t just assume they are engaged – give them stimulating work, a chance to prosper, and recognition or they will walk don’t mistake current high performance for future potential – test candidates for ability, engagement, and aspiration don’t delegate talent development to line managers – this will limit the talents access to senior members don’t shield talent – place talent in live fire roles don’t assume top talent will take one for the team – compensate top talent differently and creatively don’t keep young leaders in the dark – share strategy with them
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>Tuning into their Brain – Employee behaviour for enhanced performance

>

Organizations have some form of program designed to nurture high-potential employees. However a recent study by the Corporate Executive Board revealed that 40% of “high-potential” job moves  produce disappointing results. Disengagement of employees also is remarkable: One in three emerging stars reported feeling disengaged from his or her company.  Even more striking, 12% of all the high potentials in the study said they were actively searching for a new job.  Why do companies have so much difficulty in their succession planning? The Corporate Executive Board’s research revealed that senior managers make misguided assumptions about these employees and take actions on their behalf that actually hinder their development. When dealing with high-potential employees, firms tend to make six common errors: assuming that all of them are highly engaged, equating current performance with future potential, delegating the management of high potentials down in the organization, shielding promising employees from early derailment, expecting stars to share the pain of organization-wide cutbacks, and failing to link high potentials and their careers to corporate strategy. In other words “tune into their brains”. Having knowledge of how our brain functions facilitates enhanced performance. Key points to take into account are: Learning should be broken down into “bite-size” to increase itsne absorbency and effectiveness. Allow time for your people to integrate learning into long-term memory.  Fairness and respect gives brain a chemical boost. Stress inhibits clear thinking. Uncertainty arouses fear that decreases the ability to make decisions. Employees need some ownership over situations to better accept change. Engaging people in more active learning techniques improves retention. And here are some things you should do to keep your top talent on track: don’t just assume they are engaged – give them stimulating work, a chance to prosper, and recognition or they will walk don’t mistake current high performance for future potential – test candidates for ability, engagement, and aspiration don’t delegate talent development to line managers – this will limit the talents access to senior members don’t shield talent – place talent in live fire roles don’t assume top talent will take one for the team – compensate top talent differently and creatively don’t keep young leaders in the dark – share strategy with them
O2ibm >>> Visit this group

Boost your Business Oxygen by visiting our Related Knowledge Centers

>Tuning into their Brain – Employee behaviour for enhanced performance

>

Organizations have some form of program designed to nurture high-potential employees. However a recent study by the Corporate Executive Board revealed that 40% of “high-potential” job moves  produce disappointing results. Disengagement of employees also is remarkable: One in three emerging stars reported feeling disengaged from his or her company.  Even more striking, 12% of all the high potentials in the study said they were actively searching for a new job.  Why do companies have so much difficulty in their succession planning? The Corporate Executive Board’s research revealed that senior managers make misguided assumptions about these employees and take actions on their behalf that actually hinder their development. When dealing with high-potential employees, firms tend to make six common errors: assuming that all of them are highly engaged, equating current performance with future potential, delegating the management of high potentials down in the organization, shielding promising employees from early derailment, expecting stars to share the pain of organization-wide cutbacks, and failing to link high potentials and their careers to corporate strategy. In other words “tune into their brains”. Having knowledge of how our brain functions facilitates enhanced performance. Key points to take into account are: Learning should be broken down into “bite-size” to increase itsne absorbency and effectiveness. Allow time for your people to integrate learning into long-term memory.  Fairness and respect gives brain a chemical boost. Stress inhibits clear thinking. Uncertainty arouses fear that decreases the ability to make decisions. Employees need some ownership over situations to better accept change. Engaging people in more active learning techniques improves retention. And here are some things you should do to keep your top talent on track: don’t just assume they are engaged – give them stimulating work, a chance to prosper, and recognition or they will walk don’t mistake current high performance for future potential – test candidates for ability, engagement, and aspiration don’t delegate talent development to line managers – this will limit the talents access to senior members don’t shield talent – place talent in live fire roles don’t assume top talent will take one for the team – compensate top talent differently and creatively don’t keep young leaders in the dark – share strategy with them
O2ibm >>> Visit this group

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS >>> KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST >>> ENJOY IT!

>Tuning into their Brain – Employee behaviour for enhanced performance

>

Organizations have some form of program designed to nurture high-potential employees. However a recent study by the Corporate Executive Board revealed that 40% of “high-potential” job moves  produce disappointing results. Disengagement of employees also is remarkable: One in three emerging stars reported feeling disengaged from his or her company.  Even more striking, 12% of all the high potentials in the study said they were actively searching for a new job.  Why do companies have so much difficulty in their succession planning? The Corporate Executive Board’s research revealed that senior managers make misguided assumptions about these employees and take actions on their behalf that actually hinder their development. When dealing with high-potential employees, firms tend to make six common errors: assuming that all of them are highly engaged, equating current performance with future potential, delegating the management of high potentials down in the organization, shielding promising employees from early derailment, expecting stars to share the pain of organization-wide cutbacks, and failing to link high potentials and their careers to corporate strategy. In other words “tune into their brains”. Having knowledge of how our brain functions facilitates enhanced performance. Key points to take into account are: Learning should be broken down into “bite-size” to increase itsne absorbency and effectiveness. Allow time for your people to integrate learning into long-term memory.  Fairness and respect gives brain a chemical boost. Stress inhibits clear thinking. Uncertainty arouses fear that decreases the ability to make decisions. Employees need some ownership over situations to better accept change. Engaging people in more active learning techniques improves retention. And here are some things you should do to keep your top talent on track: don’t just assume they are engaged – give them stimulating work, a chance to prosper, and recognition or they will walk don’t mistake current high performance for future potential – test candidates for ability, engagement, and aspiration don’t delegate talent development to line managers – this will limit the talents access to senior members don’t shield talent – place talent in live fire roles don’t assume top talent will take one for the team – compensate top talent differently and creatively don’t keep young leaders in the dark – share strategy with them
O2ibm >>> Visit this group

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS >>> KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST >>> ENJOY IT!

>Learning to Lead

>

Herminia Ibarra , Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Faculty Director of the INSEAD Leadership Initiative, contests that we learn to lead in relationship, by becoming a part of a community and network of leaders, but what we preach, however, is very different.   Let’s draw some inferences by considering a few schools of thought: Situational leadership, — originally conceived as the antidote to the great man theories of leadership. The situational school brought us the notion of “fit:” person to situation and leader to follower. The original version said the situation makes the leader. The simpler version we retained says something else altogether, that good leaders choose among the leadership styles or change strategies in their repertoire the one that best matches their current situation.    Discover your strengths — another great example of a one-sided and static focus on personal attributes that make people effective leaders. According to this theory, we can categorize ourselves according to a number of themes and clusters of themes that describe our strengths; once identified, they help us make decisions about what situation best match us. Practice — From Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers to Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated we learn about the magic rule of 10,000 hours. Bill Gates, we are told, became a computer wiz because he had access to an early computer and was able to clock the requisite number of hours. Putting in the hours, not innate talent, makes the leader.   Prof. Ibarra‘s research on how effective managers make the transition to bigger, broader leadership roles and cements their contribution to the growth and transformation of their organization, incorporates 4 key enablers: o    Motivate the transition to leadership. When asked to do things that don’t come naturally, we implicitly ask ourselves “am I the sort of person who behaves this way?” “Do I want to be that sort of person?”. When managers’ identification is rooted in functional groups or expert communities, the answers are negative when it comes to leadership, and thus it is no surprise that they do not sustain the arduous practice it takes to develop as leaders. On the other hand, when they identify with recognized leaders, learning to lead is motivated by the desire to become a member of a valued group. o    Make the “competencies” come alive. One of the difficult things about learning to lead is distinguishing between “what” (content knowledge) and “how to” (process knowledge). We may know, for example, that “sensing external trends” is a critical competency in forging a strategic direction, and we may also want to become more like the leaders we know who are very good at that. But, how does one actually learn to strategize? In a successful learning cycle, role models, peer groups and communities of practice motivate change by changing our reference point on what is desirable and possible, and then once motivated, providing tacit knowledge on how to do it. o    Experiment from the outside in. Many aspiring leaders struggle to stretch their leadership within their current organization and roles. Caught in between delivery pressures and outdated views of their capacities, they more quickly or easily find roles outside the organization that allow them to lead. Their new activities, in professional organizations, clubs, informal advisory and so on, create external identities that they eventually internalize. o    Build external support & networks to sustain change. Often it is hard to get support for change from old mentors, bosses or trusted colleagues. They may have good intentions but maintain of what we can and should do that are based in the past and not the future. People and groups, on the fringe of our existing networks help us push off in new directions while providing the secure base in which change can take hold, one of the reasons why learning methods like peer coaching are so powerful.   O2ibm

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>Learning to Lead

>

Herminia Ibarra , Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Faculty Director of the INSEAD Leadership Initiative, contests that we learn to lead in relationship, by becoming a part of a community and network of leaders, but what we preach, however, is very different.   Let’s draw some inferences by considering a few schools of thought: Situational leadership, — originally conceived as the antidote to the great man theories of leadership. The situational school brought us the notion of “fit:” person to situation and leader to follower. The original version said the situation makes the leader. The simpler version we retained says something else altogether, that good leaders choose among the leadership styles or change strategies in their repertoire the one that best matches their current situation.    Discover your strengths — another great example of a one-sided and static focus on personal attributes that make people effective leaders. According to this theory, we can categorize ourselves according to a number of themes and clusters of themes that describe our strengths; once identified, they help us make decisions about what situation best match us. Practice — From Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers to Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated we learn about the magic rule of 10,000 hours. Bill Gates, we are told, became a computer wiz because he had access to an early computer and was able to clock the requisite number of hours. Putting in the hours, not innate talent, makes the leader.   Prof. Ibarra‘s research on how effective managers make the transition to bigger, broader leadership roles and cements their contribution to the growth and transformation of their organization, incorporates 4 key enablers: o    Motivate the transition to leadership. When asked to do things that don’t come naturally, we implicitly ask ourselves “am I the sort of person who behaves this way?” “Do I want to be that sort of person?”. When managers’ identification is rooted in functional groups or expert communities, the answers are negative when it comes to leadership, and thus it is no surprise that they do not sustain the arduous practice it takes to develop as leaders. On the other hand, when they identify with recognized leaders, learning to lead is motivated by the desire to become a member of a valued group. o    Make the “competencies” come alive. One of the difficult things about learning to lead is distinguishing between “what” (content knowledge) and “how to” (process knowledge). We may know, for example, that “sensing external trends” is a critical competency in forging a strategic direction, and we may also want to become more like the leaders we know who are very good at that. But, how does one actually learn to strategize? In a successful learning cycle, role models, peer groups and communities of practice motivate change by changing our reference point on what is desirable and possible, and then once motivated, providing tacit knowledge on how to do it. o    Experiment from the outside in. Many aspiring leaders struggle to stretch their leadership within their current organization and roles. Caught in between delivery pressures and outdated views of their capacities, they more quickly or easily find roles outside the organization that allow them to lead. Their new activities, in professional organizations, clubs, informal advisory and so on, create external identities that they eventually internalize. o    Build external support & networks to sustain change. Often it is hard to get support for change from old mentors, bosses or trusted colleagues. They may have good intentions but maintain of what we can and should do that are based in the past and not the future. People and groups, on the fringe of our existing networks help us push off in new directions while providing the secure base in which change can take hold, one of the reasons why learning methods like peer coaching are so powerful.   O2ibm

Visit this group

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS >>> KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST >>> ENJOY IT!

>Learning to Lead

>

Herminia Ibarra , Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Faculty Director of the INSEAD Leadership Initiative, contests that we learn to lead in relationship, by becoming a part of a community and network of leaders, but what we preach, however, is very different.   Let’s draw some inferences by considering a few schools of thought: Situational leadership, — originally conceived as the antidote to the great man theories of leadership. The situational school brought us the notion of “fit:” person to situation and leader to follower. The original version said the situation makes the leader. The simpler version we retained says something else altogether, that good leaders choose among the leadership styles or change strategies in their repertoire the one that best matches their current situation.    Discover your strengths — another great example of a one-sided and static focus on personal attributes that make people effective leaders. According to this theory, we can categorize ourselves according to a number of themes and clusters of themes that describe our strengths; once identified, they help us make decisions about what situation best match us. Practice — From Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers to Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated we learn about the magic rule of 10,000 hours. Bill Gates, we are told, became a computer wiz because he had access to an early computer and was able to clock the requisite number of hours. Putting in the hours, not innate talent, makes the leader.   Prof. Ibarra‘s research on how effective managers make the transition to bigger, broader leadership roles and cements their contribution to the growth and transformation of their organization, incorporates 4 key enablers: o    Motivate the transition to leadership. When asked to do things that don’t come naturally, we implicitly ask ourselves “am I the sort of person who behaves this way?” “Do I want to be that sort of person?”. When managers’ identification is rooted in functional groups or expert communities, the answers are negative when it comes to leadership, and thus it is no surprise that they do not sustain the arduous practice it takes to develop as leaders. On the other hand, when they identify with recognized leaders, learning to lead is motivated by the desire to become a member of a valued group. o    Make the “competencies” come alive. One of the difficult things about learning to lead is distinguishing between “what” (content knowledge) and “how to” (process knowledge). We may know, for example, that “sensing external trends” is a critical competency in forging a strategic direction, and we may also want to become more like the leaders we know who are very good at that. But, how does one actually learn to strategize? In a successful learning cycle, role models, peer groups and communities of practice motivate change by changing our reference point on what is desirable and possible, and then once motivated, providing tacit knowledge on how to do it. o    Experiment from the outside in. Many aspiring leaders struggle to stretch their leadership within their current organization and roles. Caught in between delivery pressures and outdated views of their capacities, they more quickly or easily find roles outside the organization that allow them to lead. Their new activities, in professional organizations, clubs, informal advisory and so on, create external identities that they eventually internalize. o    Build external support & networks to sustain change. Often it is hard to get support for change from old mentors, bosses or trusted colleagues. They may have good intentions but maintain of what we can and should do that are based in the past and not the future. People and groups, on the fringe of our existing networks help us push off in new directions while providing the secure base in which change can take hold, one of the reasons why learning methods like peer coaching are so powerful.   O2ibm

Visit this group

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS >>> KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST >>> ENJOY IT!

>Learning to Lead

>

Herminia Ibarra , Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Faculty Director of the INSEAD Leadership Initiative, contests that we learn to lead in relationship, by becoming a part of a community and network of leaders, but what we preach, however, is very different.   Let’s draw some inferences by considering a few schools of thought: Situational leadership, — originally conceived as the antidote to the great man theories of leadership. The situational school brought us the notion of “fit:” person to situation and leader to follower. The original version said the situation makes the leader. The simpler version we retained says something else altogether, that good leaders choose among the leadership styles or change strategies in their repertoire the one that best matches their current situation.    Discover your strengths — another great example of a one-sided and static focus on personal attributes that make people effective leaders. According to this theory, we can categorize ourselves according to a number of themes and clusters of themes that describe our strengths; once identified, they help us make decisions about what situation best match us. Practice — From Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers to Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated we learn about the magic rule of 10,000 hours. Bill Gates, we are told, became a computer wiz because he had access to an early computer and was able to clock the requisite number of hours. Putting in the hours, not innate talent, makes the leader.   Prof. Ibarra‘s research on how effective managers make the transition to bigger, broader leadership roles and cements their contribution to the growth and transformation of their organization, incorporates 4 key enablers: o    Motivate the transition to leadership. When asked to do things that don’t come naturally, we implicitly ask ourselves “am I the sort of person who behaves this way?” “Do I want to be that sort of person?”. When managers’ identification is rooted in functional groups or expert communities, the answers are negative when it comes to leadership, and thus it is no surprise that they do not sustain the arduous practice it takes to develop as leaders. On the other hand, when they identify with recognized leaders, learning to lead is motivated by the desire to become a member of a valued group. o    Make the “competencies” come alive. One of the difficult things about learning to lead is distinguishing between “what” (content knowledge) and “how to” (process knowledge). We may know, for example, that “sensing external trends” is a critical competency in forging a strategic direction, and we may also want to become more like the leaders we know who are very good at that. But, how does one actually learn to strategize? In a successful learning cycle, role models, peer groups and communities of practice motivate change by changing our reference point on what is desirable and possible, and then once motivated, providing tacit knowledge on how to do it. o    Experiment from the outside in. Many aspiring leaders struggle to stretch their leadership within their current organization and roles. Caught in between delivery pressures and outdated views of their capacities, they more quickly or easily find roles outside the organization that allow them to lead. Their new activities, in professional organizations, clubs, informal advisory and so on, create external identities that they eventually internalize. o    Build external support & networks to sustain change. Often it is hard to get support for change from old mentors, bosses or trusted colleagues. They may have good intentions but maintain of what we can and should do that are based in the past and not the future. People and groups, on the fringe of our existing networks help us push off in new directions while providing the secure base in which change can take hold, one of the reasons why learning methods like peer coaching are so powerful.   O2ibm

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HEALTHY BUSINESS STRATEGY
DRIVING REVENUE STREAMS

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS
KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST

>Thinking Ahead as a True Leader

>

The ability to ‘think ahead’ and plan a strategy, implies keeping in touch with employee opinions, technological advances and market trends that will help shape your vision – to be shared.  Leaders, by definition, must have followers that aspire to the leader’s vision. Once you’ve  ‘thought ahead’ into the future, you need to communicate your vision with conviction and confidence, as to inspire, energize and unite your team. A leader must be capable of shaping internal politics that will support performance improvement initiatives.   During times of change, uncertainty and fear reign supreme. As a result, leaders confronting strategic and organizational change, have to manage communication effectively. As a leader, you have to portray a compelling vision for the future, while implementing change.  Processes that build a shared vision of the future, create positive coalitions, and allow open expression of competing views will prepare people for the change.   Motivating people to peak performance is a must of  leadership. But how can you unleash the full individual emotional commitment and collective potential of your people so that they achieve higher levels of performance? Generating emotional energy and commitment takes time and effort, as to ensure that the right balance between achieving the task, building the team and  sustaining morale.

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