My company does a management review every quarter where we assess our talent and place them on a grid notating their potential. Those with the highest potential are offered additional leadership courses and assignments to aid in their development, and those with the lowest potential are soon managed out.
One of the categories we slot managers is titled "At Potential". Basically, leaders in this category have reached (what we see) to be their maximum potential. At this point, we consider them to be well placed in their current position with no room for advancement. Usually these tenured leaders are a wealth of knowledge and we leverage that in our training and troubleshooting. It's not a bad category in the eyes of our company because we need stability while others are being promoted, but I struggle with managing those who are placed there. Partly because I believe if you have truly reached your potential, then everything you do needs to be outstanding so I'm tougher on them...
My network is filled with people who never "max out". I understand their psyche because I share it. Even in "retirement", my family members and mentors are constantly offered new experiences and seek out activities that stretch them. They're never satisfied and that's what motivates them. Their potential is limitless so there is no reaching it. They're addicted to willpower and love to achieve goals, only to begin the next one. Is this a double edged sword? Absolutely...but they constantly find new dragons to slay with it.
Speaking of dragon slayers, I'm a huge fan of Kevin Garnett and got a chance to watch him and his team celebrate a NBA Championship win last night. When Boston acquired KG in 2007, they had not won a championship in over 2 decades. Garnett was a 12 year NBA pro, 10 time All-Star, and had won the title of MVP in 2004. It would be easy to say that he had reached his potential and that there was no room for advancement. But according to this article, Kevin Garnett came to Boston to win an NBA Championship. It says that despite having the best record in the league, the Eastern Conference Championship, and a record setting turnaround season, Garnett indicates that anything less than the title would be a "major disappointment". I concur, Kev.
After the game, a reporter asked Garnett "So, what does it feel like to be on top of the world?" Kevin gave her an answer and went back to celebrating. I got to thinking, if the top of the world is where my potential takes me then I don't mind settling down there...I sure hope the view is lovely
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