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measuring and developing high potential 187
Finally, a comment on the difference between potential and high potential in this
particular model simply concerns the ‘norm’: Where does one draw the line in deter-
mining that someone shows insufficient, sufficient, good or extremely good indicators
that could contribute to and realise future organisation goals at a certain point in time?
High potential is only one of many qualifications in this respect. However, this norm is
situation-dependent, and is partly determined by the human development policy which,
in turn, should be coupled to future organisation goals.
Therefore, an approach in which the development of persons and the possibilities
to profit from this development is of relevance for the measurement of potential when
relating this to human development and contextual influences. This has been used in
practice for some considerable time by means of assessment methodology and develop-
ment centres in combination of the 360-feedback method, in which more measurements
are present (see below). Our approach therefore implies that more content related-factors
(which individual characteristics determine the concept of potential) and process-related
factors (possibilities to learn, being able to actively react on future changes, etc.) should
both be considered when measuring potential.
The above-mentioned model implies that potential measurements are placed in a
process in time in which continuous feedback and moments of prediction are present.
It forms a practical elaboration on the (content-related) definition that Lohaus and
Kleinmann (this volume) have given for the measurement of potential.
MEASURING AND DEVELOPING HIGH POTENTIAL
There are several activities directed towards the group of employees who form the so-
called (high) potentials within the organisation. The main reason for these activities is to
ensure an adequate number of senior employees in specialised positions, with good (top)
management today and for the future. Development of (high) potential will therefore
become an important part of company policy.
It must be realised that society is subject to many and, in particular, rapid changes that
require flexible adjustments from both individuals and organisations. Organisations also
want to retain their own “management philosophy” and their own “cultural pattern” of
standards and values, which are subsequently translated into whatever “high potential”
entails for their organisation. It is clear that through the development of personnel in
general and management in particular, the company will not lose impetus. Pfeffer (1994,
p. 210) described this as follows: “People and how we manage them are becoming
more important because many other sources of competitive success are less powerful
then they once were.” Therefore the concept of competency is useful in communicating
organisational and personal developments: it provides for a practical and goal-oriented
language for “need analysis” (see also Lohaus & Kleinmann, this volume).
In this section, we first pay attention to the methods and techniques that are used to
determine potential; then, in more detail, we discuss several HR activities which are
of importance to the development and, finally, evaluation of the potential measured.
According to the model described in the previous section, the achievement realised,
and an evaluation of the process of development, form the basis of a new potential
measurement, which can, in turn, eventually be supplemented by methods like those
described in the following paragraphs.