Leadership High Potential Analysis (HiPo)

High Potential Analysis (HiPo)

SHL surveyed more than 431,000 employees worldwide to find out what distinguishes talented individuals who are successful in leadership roles. The study revealed that high potential is not predicted solely by good work performance; additional factors are required. As a result, three high-potential (HiPo) characteristics were identified as predictors of leadership potential. The figure below illustrates a potential model in which the overlap of all three characteristics denotes HiPo (high-potential) talent. Fontes leadership potential analysis is also based on this model.

As a result of the assessment, we compile a comprehensive summary of the talent’s capabilities, achievement orientation, and commitment. For each characteristic, strengths and supporting factors, as well as areas for development, are mapped. This is done to support the specialist in transitioning to a leadership position.

What qualities and skills are assessed?

The analysis of leadership potential focuses on three aspects that predict success in leadership roles: capability, commitment, and achievement orientation.

• Competence ensures effectiveness. It includes mental competence, i.e., speed and accuracy of thinking and analysis, as well as skills such as goal setting and direction, effective communication, and achieving results.
• Achievement orientation creates the desire to advance in one’s career. It includes motivational factors (autonomy, flexibility, interesting work, activity, and influencing others) and behavioural factors (decision-making, taking initiative, investing in one’s own development, and achieving results). People with a high achievement orientation are more likely to advance to leadership roles.
• Commitment ensures continuity in the organisation. Commitment can be described in terms of the current situation; it encompasses experiences, talent expectations for work, role, work environment, and organisation, which influence effort and performance at present. In addition, commitment can be assessed for the future; it encompasses expectations regarding work, career, and organisation, which help ensure continued employment with the company. The higher the level of commitment at present and in the future, the more likely the talent is to exert effort, achieve established goals, and remain in the organisation.

How to assess leadership potential?

The assessment of leadership potential includes a diverse assessment centre to thoroughly analyse aspects of potential and provide meaningful reflection:

• Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32r) to map the specialist’s innate ways of thinking, communicating, and behaving in order to assess their innate predispositions for a leadership role.
• The Motivation Questionnaire (MQM5) provides a comprehensive overview of situations that increase or decrease the specialist’s motivation, enabling assessment of their achievement orientation and potential.
• The Critical Situation Task tests the specialist in an immediate communication scenario to assess their ability to interact with others, solve problems, and commit to goals.
• Mental ability tests show a person’s ability to analyse diverse information, notice important connections, and draw correct conclusions. When solving the test, the candidate uses their problem-solving and reasoning skills, evaluating arguments, analysing scenarios, and drawing logical conclusions.
  • Deductive reasoning tests assess the ability to draw logical conclusions from given information and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments.
  • Arithmetic reasoning tests measure the ability to understand statistical tables and numerical data and draw logical conclusions.
  • The inductive logical thinking test measures the ability to notice patterns and identify connections across the whole.

The assessment can be carried out remotely via online channels or on-site at Fontes.

Customer- and talent-centric process

The assessment process is designed so that the talent recognises the value of the process for themselves, and the client is kept up to date on developments and can review the results at the earliest opportunity.

1. Informing specialists about the upcoming assessment. We ask the client to inform the talents about the upcoming assessment and let them know that this is also a good opportunity for them to test themselves and receive feedback. If desired, we can share an email template for this purpose.
2. Fontes conducts the assessment. We contact the specialists, agree on the assessment activities, and conduct the assessment centre. Based on the results, the assessment consultant prepares a comprehensive summary that reveals the candidate’s potential.
3. Presentation of results. The assessment consultant presents the potential analysis to the client and discusses the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to support them in their ascent to a leadership role. A comprehensive written summary is then shared with the client.
4. Feedback to talents. We provide talent with personalised coaching feedback during the meeting to provide an objective reflection and ideas for shaping their development path.

The leadership potential analysis takes an average of 1-1.5 weeks, depending on the specialist’s availability.

When to use leadership potential analysis?

We recommend using leadership potential analysis when considering promoting a specialist to a leadership role (e.g., from analyst to team leader). The assessment helps you consciously support employee development to minimise the risks of failure and disappointment. In addition, the talent becomes more self-aware, gains an objective reflection on their own assumptions and risks, and ideas for shaping their development path. We provide feedback in an inspiring way to create a positive talent experience and empower the talent to take the next steps.
We recommend that organisations make leadership potential analysis part of their talent management system and conduct objective potential mapping for every internal promotion. This will provide valuable additional information, avoid confusion or disappointment among employees, and foster a trusting internal climate within the company.