How to Hire for High Potential?

Hiring is hard. There are many frameworks that you can apply to find the right candidate. On the one side, it all depends on the organisation, the role you hire for, and the team culture you cultivate. Conversely, human beings have complicated psychology, the baggage of good and bad experiences, knowledge and dominating character traits. How do you find a suitable method to apply to the hiring process? What to do to find the right candidate to demonstrate strong points from experience and adapt to the new job? How to hire for high potential?

Plan for today:

Contents ☕️📰 hide

1 High Potential Candidates 💪

1.6 Practical intelligence 🧩

1.7 Team ability 🤝

1.8 Curiosity 🔍

1.9 Emotional strength 🧗

2 Conclusions 🎓

3 Dichotomy of leadership in hiring for high potential ⚖️

4 Productivity frameworks: Kanban 🗂️

4.1 Tips&Tricks: Speed up your text editing ⚒️

5 Recommended read 🌐

The answer is not apparent, and sometimes it is more of a gut feeling than a scientific method. However, one framework is worth adding to your leadership toolkit. It comes from the military world “hiring process”. This process is discussed in one of my favourite podcasts, Jocko Podcast, hosted by Jocko Willink.

High Potential Candidates 💪

In one of the episodes, Jocko discussed the nine core characteristics of individuals with high potential. These characteristics include

the need for achievement,
constant self-improvement,
resiliency,
adaptability,
humility,
integrity,
effective intelligence,
team ability,
curiosity,
and emotional strength.

Drive 📈

Individuals with high potential have an unrelenting need for achievement and constant self-improvement. Look for candidates with a track record of setting and exceeding goals.

Resiliency 🏃‍♀️

The ability to persevere in the face of challenges and bounce back from setbacks is a hallmark of high-potential individuals. Look for candidates who have overcome adversity and become stronger on the other side.

Adaptability 🗺️

High-potential individuals have the ability to adjust according to the situation, learn new things, innovate, and try new methods. Look for candidates who are comfortable with change and can think on their feet.

Humility 👐

Individuals with high potential have self-confidence in their abilities while understanding that there’s always room for improvement. Look for candidates who are willing to learn from others and value their peers’ experiences and knowledge.

Integrity 🙋‍♂️

High-potential individuals have a strong sense of ethics and adhere not only to what is legal but also to what is right. Look for candidates with a solid moral compass and committed to doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy.

Practical intelligence 🧩

Individuals with high potential can apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios. Look for candidates who can think critically, solve problems, and make sound decisions.

Team ability 🤝

High-potential individuals can function as part of a team, placing the success of the whole above the needs of the self. Look for candidates who are team players and who can collaborate effectively with others.

Curiosity 🔍

Individuals with high potential have the desire to explore the unknown and question the status quo in pursuit of better, more effective solutions. Look for candidates who are curious and who ask questions.

Emotional strength 🧗

High-potential individuals have a positive attitude, high empathy, and control over their own emotions, especially in chaotic and stressful situations. Look for emotionally intelligent candidates who can remain calm under pressure.

Conclusions 🎓

Remember that hiring is an ongoing process, and it’s important to continue to assess and develop your team members throughout their tenure with your organisation. By focusing on high-potential individuals, you can build a team capable of achieving great things.

Dichotomy of leadership in hiring for high potential ⚖️

Hiring for high potential can be challenging, but it’s important to keep these nine characteristics in mind as you assess candidates. By focusing on these qualities, you can build a team that is not only successful but also collaborative, innovative, and resilient. However, we must remember the potential pitfalls of each characteristic and ensure we hire candidates with a healthy balance of these qualities. You can build a truly exceptional team with a little effort and attention.

🎙️ What questions to ask during the interview, and what to look for to avoid pitfalls – Check the full episode 🚀

Listen to the full episode 🎙️

Productivity frameworks: Kanban 🗂️

“Kanban” is a visual project management method that helps teams collaborate and get more done. The name “Kanban” comes from the Japanese word for “signboard” or “billboard”, as it was originally used to manage just-in-time (JIT) production in manufacturing.

The idea behind Kanban is to:

visualize your work,
limit work in progress, and
manage flow.

This is done by creating a physical or digital board with columns that represent different stages of a project (e.g. “To Do”, “In Progress”, “Done”). Team members then add sticky notes or cards representing tasks to the board, and move them from left to right as the work progresses.

Kanban helps teams see their work, prioritize tasks, and minimize waste and delays. It’s a flexible and visual way to manage projects, and it’s easy for everyone to understand and use.
So, if you’re looking for a fun and effective way to manage projects with your team, try using a Kanban board! Your team and projects will be well-organized and flowing in no time.

Tips&Tricks: Speed up your text editing ⚒️

If you hold option (⌥) while pressing backspace, it deletes entire words instead of letters.

Hold down the command (⌘) key to delete an entire line while pressing backspace.

You can move faster through text by holding the ⌥ or ⌘ and →↓↑←