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Many organizations conduct talent reviews to identify and develop employees with the greatest potential to move into more complex, high-impact roles. While this has long been a core talent practice, many still struggle to determine the most effective approach—particularly when assessing, managing, and developing those with the greatest potential. A new 30-page report by The Talent Strategy Group shares insights on nearly every aspect of potential—definitions, tools, assessments, communication approaches, and more—based on feedback from over 300 companies worldwide. Although not positioned as a benchmarking report, it provides a comprehensive view of current practices and challenges. While there are several insights in this report, one striking finding is that only 37% of organizations report that high-potential (HiPo) employees have a development plan. Given the outsized contribution these individuals can make, this points to a missed opportunity to use HiPo development planning as a performance differentiator. With this as the backdrop, I’m resharing my one-page cheat sheet with eight questions to guide talent review practices—two of which emphasize accountability and follow-up. Use this cheat sheet, along with the report, to identify opportunities to elevate the impact of your talent review practices. The actions you take may be what separates average from outstanding organizational performance.
