Leadership Conversations: Challenging High Potential Managers to Become Great Leaders

CHAPTER 4

Where Do You Stand on the Leadership Ladder?

As you become more clear about who you really are, you’ll be better able to decide what is best for you—the first time around.

—OPRAH WINFREY

The definition of “high potential” varies from organization to organization, yet high potentials are universally expected to outperform others at the same level. Thus, as a high potential, you probably have been given challenging and important assignments. In that high-risk, high-reward environment, it is crucial to have conversations to learn what is expected of you and to be sure that the high potentials who work for you know what you expect of them.

We once toured a castle in France built in the Dark Ages when lawlessness was rampant. No castle lord could ...