"At the end of the day, you bet on people, not strategies." – Lawrence Bossidy, former Chairman of the Board, Honeywell International, Inc.

Lenore Mewton, M.S.W., PCC

People are your business's most important resource. Success in today's marketplace depends on leadership committed to developing their workforce. Corporate research repeatedly shows that people work hard for those who support and encourage their ongoing development. No longer a nice-to-have, developing talent is critical to the success of any organization.

Are you a High Potential (HIPO) employee – or do you manage them? How do you meet their specific needs for growth? Several methods have been used to identify high potentials:
• Select employees with key roles and design development programs focused on required skills.
• Use assessment tools (360? Feedback Tools, Skill-Defining Tools, Performance Review Tools).
• Identify early to mid-level career employees who demonstrate leadership in the organization.

Not all employees are to be treated equally.

That statement might sound like the opening of a can of worms! The reality is that all employees do not have the same development needs. A strong employee development focus is essential to any organization. People who out-perform and are knowledge- and results-driven want to learn quickly, with access to state-of-the-art tools and knowledge. Their ability to self-monitor requires a leadership style supportive of their autonomous nature. Give them the tools, the challenges and the respect to work the issues at hand.

Who typically comes to mind when you hear High Potential employees – tomorrow's senior management, directors and CEOs?
In addition to developing organizational leaders, consider the effective, consistently achieving individual contributor, without whom the organization would fall flat. They are the backbone of your organization: they lead projects, meet and exceed deadlines, design systems, influence customers, etc. They may choose, however, to stay as either individual contributors or managers at the middle level. What do these employees require to stay motivated and continue to add value?
Managers and individuals at this level, when interviewed, said they want the following:
•Recognition for a job well done,
• Autonomy to use skills of self-direction, and
• Challenges to drive their desire to excel and stretch their learning.

Or, consider the next wave of high potentials: those young in their career. The career security of today's younger employees rests on the size and quality of their knowledge bank. Supporting their value for learning and challenge will increase productivity and add to the organization's growing knowledge base.

Although HR literature is divided on the benefits of pay incentives for High Potentials, the importance of employee development is consistent. Establishing foundations for learning throughout the organization provides return to both employee and employer.

What helps build a culture focused on development for HIPO leaders, strong individual contributors and developing talent?
1. Treat High Potentials – whether individuals, middle managers or candidates for future leadership roles – with respect. Acknowledge their ability to self-monitor progress against requirements. For early careerists, plan their autonomy on the project against skills required and decisiveness in utilizing available resources.
2. Encourage, listen and take active interest in High Potentials' career and development goals. Leverage your knowledge of resources: people, development activities, mentors, reading, etc.
3. Provide hands-on learning to simulate challenges of future leadership roles; e.g., taking charge of turn-around situations.
4. Provide rotations between divisions or groups, special assignments or shadowing of functional experts.
5. For developing leaders, increase visibility to senior management by assigning projects and opportunities to present knowledge to broader audiences.
6. Hire and coach managers to develop their employees, and co-create with the employee to match skills with their motivation and meet the business needs.

Fact: 70 percent of learning takes place on the job vs. 30 percent through courses and reading.

Organizations, even in times of fiscal constraint, can improve morale, create learning environments, increase productivity and develop cultures that support, "People are your best resource." By providing opportunities for people to be challenged at their highest level, in the roles they prefer, they will consistently grow, add value to their career toolbox, and substantially increase returns to the organization.

Lenore Mewton, M.S.W., PCC, is Principal of LM&A/ Lenore Mewton & Associates, a Business, Career and Corporate Coaching Firm. Lenore coaches small business owners, executives and individuals on leadership, career and business development. Her free monthly e-newsletter, Your Leader Within(c), is available at www.lenoremewton.com/free-newsletter.htm. She can be reached at 781-639-2659 or lenore@lenoremewton.com.