Strengthening an organization from the inside out

How high potential programs can help develop tomorrow’s greatest leaders

Every organization has them. High potentials with all the hallmarks of greatness: amazing skill and expertise in their field, outsized contributions and leadership, a deep desire to grow and develop, the willingness to help solve complex problems outside of their formal role, and the predisposition of a team player (Wiseman, 2021).  Many have the capability to be high performing leaders and executives who inspire their teams and contribute massively to the growth and success of their organizations.

Organizations need these leaders to enhance their strengths and work on any gaps so they can feel confident and empowered, continue to grow and develop themselves and their teams, and contribute to strong performance and succession planning for the companies they serve.

While training courses early on in a career can be quite useful, new leaders and early executives face challenges that are individual and more nuanced.  By this point in their careers, most have the basics nailed, but find themselves tripping over one or two areas that are preventing them from maximizing their potential. 

And many companies are learning that leveraging a structured executive coaching program is one of the tools that can help ensure they tap all that potential, and make the leaders feel supported and invested in. 

Deep, internal, and external work is transformative for performance

A structured coaching program for HiPo leaders and early executives uses one-on-one coaching to assess and leverage their strengths and identify the internal mindsets (things like fears and anxieties or self-limiting beliefs) and external behaviors (like delegation, presence, strategic thinking) that are getting in the way of their success.

Coaching helps these next generation leaders set goals, establish new ways of thinking, and practice and refine the targeted leadership behaviors in very tangible and measured ways.  It allows them to overcome barriers and increase performance in ways that will last them their whole careers – and have impacts across the organization.

Internal sponsorship is critical for success

Critical to the success of High Potential Programs is ownership by internal sponsors – one for every high potential leader. A senior executive dedicated to actively supporting and putting the candidate forward for new roles and responsibilities, removing obstacles and advocating for them at senior levels.

Often, sponsors are senior members of the company who want to leave a legacy and impact the next generation of leaders. Ideally, they’re interested in sharing knowledge and political capital to put the needs of the organization first, and they have a deep desire to contribute to the success of their peers and the organization overall.

Strategic, enterprise-based coaching programs focused on high-potential leaders can do more than just course correct careers; it can anchor strong cultures of learning, collaboration, and empowerment that can strengthen organizations from the inside out. It’s a winning formula that has as many benefits for the organizations that implement them as the sponsors who lead them and the high potentials who participate in them. And the impacts can be dramatic, far-reaching and reverberate for years to come.