The document discusses the challenges and temptations faced by high-potential leaders, highlighting that 90% of leaders are unprepared for senior roles due to ineffective development strategies. It emphasizes the need for a more individualized approach to talent development through various assignment types and enrichment opportunities, while cautioning against the pitfalls of overloading and blind spots. Finally, it advocates for the importance of feedback and a growth mindset to foster effective leadership progression.

1. Tempta'ons
of
a
High
Poten'al
Kevin
D.
Wilde
APRIL,
2014
runwilde@yahoo.com
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2014
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HIGHLIGHTS

2. 90%
Leaders
not
ready
to
for
more
senior
roles.
70%
Leadership
pipeline
efforts
are
ineffecNve.
©
2014
Kevin
D.
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THE
ALARMS
ARE
STARTING
TO
RING:
WE
NEED
TO
IMPROVE
AND
ACCELERATE
GETTING
LEADERS
READY
FOR
BIGGER
ROLES.

3. “We
go
through
the
iden.fica.on
exercise
and
determine
that
people
are
three
years
away
from
being
ready
for
their
next
role.
We
go
back
in
two
years
and
they
are
s)ll
three
years
away.”
-­‐
CHRO,
Fortune
500
Technology
Company
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WE
NEED
TO
RETHINK
HIGH
POTENTIAL
TALENT
DEVELOPMENT

4. ©
2014
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ONE
APPROACH:
RETHINK
ACCELERATION
EFFORTS
FROM
AN
INDIVIDUAL
APPROACH.
IMAGINE
HAVING
COFFEE
WITH
ONE
HIGH
POTENTIAL:
WHAT
IS
YOUR
ADVICE
TO
NAVIGATE
THE
CHALLENGES
AND
TEMPTATIONS?

5. Wearing
the
Label
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6. ©
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AS
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL,
YOU
PROBABLY
EXHIBITED
THESE
VALUED
ATTRIBUTES.
BUT
BE
WARNED.

7. ©
2014
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D.
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YOUR
LABEL
CAN
BE
AS
TEMPORARY
AS
A
SNAPCHAT
PHOTO.
YOUR
ORGANIZATION
MIGHT
HAVE
CONFUSING
STANDARDS.
AND
WATCHOUT
ALIENATING
THOSE
WITHOUT
THE
LABEL.

8. Learn
to
Shine
While
Building
Rela'onships
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9. Missed
Timing
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10. Assembling
the
porTolio
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AS
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL,
THINK
ABOUT
YOUR
WORK
AS
ASSEMBLING
A
PORTFOLIO.
WHILE
ORGANIZATIONS
AREN’T
ALWAYS
CLEAR,
THERE
ARE
FOUR
TYPES
OF
ASSIGNMENT
WITH
PURPOSE
AND
TIMING
AS
VARIABLE
AS
BAKING
CUPCAKES.

11. Non
S'ck
-­‐
Exposure
Assignment
• Exposure
Roles
• Connect
Dots
• Contribute
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A
QUICK
ASSIGNMENT
IS
MUCH
LIKE
BAKING
WITH
A
NON-­‐STICK
PAN:
SHORT,
EXPOSURE
TO
DIFFERENT
WORK
SETTINGS.
BE
SURE
TO
GAIN
A
BROADER
PERSPECTIVE
AND
MAKE
A
DIFFERENCE.

12. Tooth
Pick
–
Competency
Assignment
• Build
or
prove
competence.
• Strategy
• Team
Leadership
• Customer
Savvy
• InnovaNon
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A
LONGER
ASSIGNMENT
IS
TO
HELP
YOU
DEVELOP
OR
PROVE
A
COMPETENCY
BEFORE
MOVING
ON.
DON’T
BE
ANXIOUS
TO
MOVE
UNTIL
YOU’VE
GAIN
SOMETHING
IMPORTANT,
SUCH
AS
THESE
FOUR
AREAS.

13. Golden
–
Wisdom
Assignment
• Judgment,
wisdom,
humility
• Living
with
decisions
• Seasoning
with
the
unexpected
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SOME
ASSIGNMENTS
LAST
LONGER
–
BEYOND
COMPETENCE
–
TO
ACHIEVE
JUDGMENT,
MATURITY
AND
AGILITY.

14. Overcooked
-­‐
Stuck
• Manager
hording
• LiYle
growth,
made
contribuNon
• Look
for
expansion
or
lifeline
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ONE
NEGATIVE
ASSIGNMENT
IS
STAYING
PAST
THE
JOB
INTENT.
SOMETIMES
THE
ORGANIZATION
JUST
NEEDS
YOU
LONGER.
SOMETIMES
THE
MANAGER
IS
HORDING.
PATIENCE
AND
POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
HELPS.

15. Capture
the
meaning
from
each
assignment
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16. Yes
to
Every-­‐
thing
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17. Enrichments
to
Bend
the
Curve
Time
-­‐>
YOU
Now
BIG
JOB
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BY
GOING
THROUGH
A
SERIES
OF
ASSIGNMENTS,
THERE
IS
A
NATURAL
GROWTH
CURVE
TO
GET
YOU
READY
FOR
A
BIGGER
JOB.

18. Enrichments
to
Bend
the
Curve
Time
-­‐>
YOU
Now
BIG
JOB
BIG
JOB
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SOME
ORGANIZATIONS
GIVE
HIGH
POTENTIALS
ADDITIONAL
WORK
TO
ACCELERATE
THE
GROWTH,
BENDING
THE
CURVE.

19. Enrichment
Beyond
the
Assignment
• Corporate
Task
Force
• Internal
Mentor
• External
Coach
• Execu've
Ed
Program
• Ac'on
Learning
Project
• Assessment
Center
• 360
Feedback
• Job
Shadowing
• Peer
Network
Circle
• Community
Service
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EXAMPLES
OF
WHAT
ORGANIZATIONS
OFFER
HIGH
POTENTIAL
TO
ACCELERATE
DEVELOPMENT.

20. Talent
Accelerators:
• Broader
Perspec've
of
Organiza'on
• Strategic
Thinking
• Influence
and
Change
Leadership
Skills
• Self-­‐Insight
and
Self-­‐Management
• Execu've
Sponsorship
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EACH
ENRICHMENT
ADDS
NEW
ABILITIES
–
THINK
MERIT
BADGES
–
TO
STRENGTHEN
ONE
OR
MORE
TALENT
ACCELERATORS.

21. Reaching
Overload!
ü Corporate
Task
Force
ü Internal
Mentor
ü External
Coach
ü ExecuNve
Ed
Program
ü AcNon
Learning
Project
ü Assessment
Center
ü 360
Feedback
ü Job
Shadowing
ü Peer
Network
Circle
ü Community
Service
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THE
PROBLEM
OF
STRETCH
ASSIGNMENTS
ALONG
WITH
TOO
MANY
ACCELERATORS
CAN
PUSH
YOU
INTO
OVERLOAD
AND
FAILURE.

22. Bridge
Lessons
• Execu've
Resiliency
• Execu've
Produc'vity
• Execu've
Savvy
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LEARN
TO
HANDLE
THE
‘EXTRAS’
THE
BEST
YOU
CAN.
DEEPER
YOUR
RESILENCY
SKILLS.
RECOGNIZE
THAT
EXECUTIVES
ARE
OFTEN
FACED
WITH
OVERLOAD.
LEARN
TO
APPROPRIATELY
SAY
‘NO’
OR
‘LATER’
TO
TOO
MUCH.
LEAN
ON
SENIOR
SPONSORS
TO
GUIDE
AND
HELP.

23. Strengthen
Resiliency
Habits
&
Cul'vate
Execu've
Savvy
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24. Skipping
IT
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25. Dangers
Ahead:
Bending
the
curve
and
blind
spots
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LOTS
OF
JOB
ASSIGNMENTS
AND
ACCELERATORS
CAN
ALSO
EXPOSE
YOUR
WEAKNESSES
AND
BLIND-­‐SPOTS.
THIS
COULD
BE
GOOD
OR
BAD.

26. Shibing
Gears
In
A
Career
Technical/Func'onal
(Personal
ExperNse)
Managerial
(Set
ObjecNves,
Coach,
Develop)
Leadership
(Vision,
Strategy)
Professional
Manager
Execu've
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BLINDSPOTS
CAN
HAPPEN
AS
THE
NATURE
AND
EMPHASIS
OF
WORK
ELEMENTS
CHANGE.

27. Didn’t
address
gaps:
“What
didn’t
ma4er
before,
ma4ers
now.”
Blocked
self-­‐insight:
“I
am
successful
because
of
some
things
and
despite
of
some
things.”
Didn’t
grow
in
transi'on:
“What
worked
before
doesn’t
work
now.”
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FAILURE
TO
RESPOND
WELL
TO
CHALLENGES
OFTEN
IS
ROOTED
IN
ONE
OR
MORE
FAULTY
BELIEFS
AS
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL.

28. Impact
of
Asking
for
and
Responding
to
Feedback?
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THE
ANTIDOTE
TO
MANY
BLIND
SPOTS
AND
BARRIERS
TO
GROWTH
AS
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL
IS
TO
DEVELOP
A
PERSONAL
HABIT
OF
ASKING
FOR
FEEDBACK.

29. Zenger-­‐Folkman
(c)
Results
from
16,644
Leaders
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Bottom 10% Next 25% Middle 30% Next 25% Top 10%
OverallLeadershipEffectiveness
Asks for and Responds to Feedback
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Leadership
Effec'veness
Rises
with
Openness
to
Feedback
A
LARGE
STUDY
OF
LEADERS
SHOW
A
STRONG
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN
EFFECTIVENESS
AND
OPENNESS
TO
FEEDBACK.

30. Self-­‐PercepNons
Not
as
Accurate
as
Others’
PercepNons
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Self-Perceptions of Effectiveness Others' Perceptions of
Effectiveness
Accuracy in
Predicting
Overall
Effectiveness
(as measured
by 360 data)
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Zenger-­‐Folkman
(c)
A
SIMILAR
STUDY
REMINDS
US
THAT
WE
ARE
NOT
GOOD
JUDGES
OF
OUR
OWN
IMPACT
ON
OTHERS.

31. 41%
Derailed
leaders
asked
and
responded
to
feedback
32%
Unable
to
adapt
to
new
situaNons.
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Zenger-­‐Folkman
(c)
DERAILED
LEADERS
ARE
RATED
LOWER
AT
ASKING
FOR
FEEDBACK
AND
ADJUSTING
TO
NEW
SITUATIONS.

32. As
People
Age,
They
Ask
For
and
Respond
to
Feedback
Less
Oben
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Zenger-­‐Folkman
(c)
Results
from
16,644
Leaders
THE
PROBLEM
IS
THE
OLDER
WE
GET,
THE
LESS
OFTEN
WE
LOOK
FOR
FEEDBACK
TO
GROW.

33. Coachable
Fixed
or
growth
mindset
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TWO
USEFUL
HABITS
TO
PICK
UP
EARLY
AS
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL:
BEING
COACHABLE
AND
HAVING
A
GROWTH
MINDSET.

34. Prac'ce
‘coach-­‐ability’
with
a
growth
mindset
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35. Jump
without
Looking
Ahead
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36. Taking
or
Making
the
Call
to
Bend
the
Growth
Curve
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BEING
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL
MEANS
YOU
HAVE
MANY
OPTIONS
TO
IMPROVE
YOUR
OWN
JOB
OPPORTUNITIES
–
TAKING
A
RECRUITER’S
CALL
OR
CALLING
ONE.

37. ©
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BEFORE
YOU
JUMP
TO
A
NEW
ORGANIZATION,
DO
AN
INVENTORY.

38. • Feeling
challenged?
• Feeling
mo'vated?
• Feeling
supported?
• Feeling
connected?
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CONSIDER
FOUR
QUESTIONS
BEFORE
LEAVING.
TALK
IT
OVER
WITH
A
TRUSTED
ADVISOR.

39. Objec'vely
Manage
Jumping
Your
Opportunity
Curve
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40. ©
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WHILE
THERE
ARE
MANY
CHALLENGES
AND
TEMPTATIONS
OF
BEING
A
HIGH
POTENTIAL,
REMEMBER
THE
GREAT
OPPORTUNTIES
BEFORE
YOU
TO
GROW
AND
MAKE
A
DIFFERNCE
IN
THE
WORLD.

41. ©
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SO
THIS
ADVICE
IS
FOR
ONE
HIGH
POTENTIAL
LEADER.
IF
YOU
ARE
RESPONSIBLE
FOR
THE
HELPING
TALENTED
PEOPLE
ADVANCE
THEIR
CAREERS,
CONSIDER
THE
WORKSHEEET
ON
THE
NEXT
PAGE
TO
HELP
HIGH
POTENTIALS
NAVIGATE
THE
TEMPTATIONS.

42. Tempta'ons
of
a
High
Poten'al
Worksheet
Keep
the
coffee
chat
going
at:
www.kevinwildeonline.com
runwilde98@yahoo.com
Tempta'on
Organiza'on
Ques'ons
Build
Opportunity:
-­‐
Wearing
the
Label
1. How
clear
and
accurate
in
characteris'cs?
2. Degree
of
appropriate
transparency?
3. Coaching
on
Teamwork?
-­‐
Missed
Assignment
4. How
clear
and
disciplined
in
assignment
management?
5. Degree
of
assembling
the
best
mix:
prime
experiences,
cri'cal
competencies,
engagement?
6. What
prac'ces
to
balance
development
and
contribu'on
in
'ming
and
sharing
high
poten'al
talent?
-­‐
Yes
to
All
7.
Degree
orchestra'ng
the
whole
development
deal
beyond
any
tac'c?
8.
Teaching
resiliency,
networking
and
execu've
produc'vity?
-­‐
Skipping
IT
9. Degree
we
provide
feedback
early
to
develop
“coach-­‐ability”
and
growth
mindset?
10. How
skilled
and
commiped
to
provide
‘tough
love’
with
trust?
-­‐
Jump
without
Looking
Ahead
11. How
many
‘s'cky’
reten'on
prac'ces
do
we
apply
to
high
poten'als?
12. Do
we
have
regular
check-­‐ins
with
trusted
advisors?
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43. Thank
You
ConNnue
the
Coffee
Chat:
www.kevinwildeonline.com
runwilde98@yahoo.com
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LET’S
CONTINUE
COMPARING
NOTES
ON
HELPING
HIGH
POTENTIALS.
PLEASE
LET
ME
KNOW
WHAT
YOU
THINK
OF
THESE
IDEAS
AND
PLEASE
SHARE
YOUR
OWN
THOUGHTS.