Page 62 - Harvard Business Review (November-December, 2017)

COMPARING TWO CANDIDATES

When X and Y are evaluated on their current levels of the competencies needed
for the CEO position at a global manufacturer, X looks like the better candidate.
He is closer to the company’s targets for the role.
But when potential is measured, Y begins to shine. His assessment indicates
that he could develop his skills beyond X’s.

CURRENT LEVEL OF COMPETENCE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH DESIRED LEVEL OF COMPETENCE
CANDIDATE X CANDIDATE Y
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

RESULTS
ORIENTATION
STRATEGIC
ORIENTATION

COLLABORATION
AND INFLUENCE
TEAM
LEADERSHIP
CHANGE
LEADERSHIP
MARKET
UNDERSTANDING

INCLUSIVENESS

AVERAGE

3.9 4.3 3.7 5.4
ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL

CURIOSITY INSIGHT CURIOSITY INSIGHT

DETERMINATION ENGAGEMENT DETERMINATION ENGAGEMENT

SOURCE EGON ZEHNDER

Well-planned job rotations are also crucial. A survey inclusiveness competency, rotations through regional
of 823 highly successful senior executives conducted businesses and corporatewide functions are a good ap-
by Egon Zehnder revealed that the vast majority of proach. (For more on how to use assignments to build
them consider stretch assignments and job rotations specific competencies, see the exhibit “Matching the
to be the most important way to accelerate a career. Hi-Po to the Job.”)
Yet according to a yearly survey of 500 companies by To help your high potentials build their strengths
HBS professor Boris Groysberg, these talent practices and make the most of opportunities, you can provide
are actually ones that organizations are the worst at. individual coaching and group interventions (which
The most effective rotations are tailored to indi- might, say, help their teams create a better sense of
viduals’ development needs. To strengthen results identity and purpose). At the global manufacturer
orientation, for instance, you should move manag- that was preparing to replace its CEO, candidate X was
ers through jobs where they’ll have P&L responsibil- given coaching to help him build people-related com-
ity, oversee a start-up initiative, or help implement a petencies, while candidate Y was tasked with leading
restructuring. If the goal is to strengthen someone’s P&L improvements in multiple regions to increase his

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