You’re all probably familiar with the “high-potential” population. Think of the athletes on the club soccer team who appear to have been born with talent, the apple of the coach’s eye. The student who finished the exam in half the time while still managing to pull off an A+. The dancer who attended every workshop, lesson, and recital and is now cast as the principal dancer in a high-level ballet company. The new team member who seems to absorb every ounce of onboarding and training effortlessly, receives regular recognition, and is on a clear, accelerated path to leadership.
High-potential individuals are just that: full of potential. And due to opportunities they may have had compared with their peers, they continue on their accelerated path, finding success in any pursuit. Then there are individuals who need to settle into their roles, require a different working or managerial style, or need to find their footing before becoming high performers. Because they might not show traditional markers of “success” as quickly as their “high-potential” peers, they get left behind.
In some ways, this isn’t unlike the massive income-wealth gap in our country, where countless individuals are left behind despite showing promise and potentia–all because they require additional attention and support.
More and more organizations are investing in coaches in an effort to offer professional development opportunities, catering to the demands of their employees. But these coaching programs often lack any measurement of success or return on investment.
