CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF HI-PO LEADERS
Mark Zuckerberg, the young upstart CEO of Facebook, recently declared that “someone who is exceptional in their role is not just a little better than someone who is pretty good,” he said. “They are 100 times better.”1 Whether his multiplier is accurate, Zuckerberg’s comment certainly spotlights the attention companies are paying to the value of key talent. Strategies for recruiting, developing and retaining high-potential leaders now range from conventional, internal succession planning to aggressive, external “acquiring”—buying a company primarily to capture its exceptional talent. Organizations are investing in their Hi-Po pipelines as never before. These rising stars ...
