The High Potential's Advantage - by Jay Conger & Allan Church (Hardcover)

About the Book

Being seen as a high potential leader is essential to getting promoted and reaching an organization's upper echelons, but most companies keep their top talent list a closely guarded secret. And the assessment process they use to decide who is and isn't a future leader is an even greater mystery. The High Potential's Advantage takes readers "behind the scenes" and shows them how to get on, and stay on, their company's fast track. Leadership development experts Jay Conger and Allan Church draw upon decades of their research and experience--designing high potential programs for hundreds of large well-known global organizations, and managing and coaching thousands of developing leaders--to answer the critical questions asked by ambitious employees and managers: What will it take for me to advance in this organization? What does my boss look for when deciding whether or not I'm a high potential? Once I'm on the list, then what? Can I fall off of it, and how does that happen? Revealing a set of key differentiators--the five "X factors"--that set people apart across companies of all types, readers learn what they have to do to achieve and maintain the coveted top talent status. Packed with examples of high potential leaders--from those on the verge of their first promotion to those only a step away from the C-suite--the authors provide detailed advice for cultivating and practicing each "X factor." In addition, the authors show readers how to identify their company's "signature factors"--those special capabilities particular to their organization--and how to gain insight into, and excel at, the specific process their company uses to identify and develop high potentials.--

Book Synopsis

Do You Know What It Takes to Be a High Potential in Your Organization?

Being seen as a high-potential leader is essential to getting promoted and reaching your organization's upper echelons, but most companies keep their top-talent list a closely guarded secret. And the assessment process they use to decide who is and isn't a future leader is an even greater mystery.

The High Potential's Advantage takes you behind the scenes and shows how you can get on, and stay on, your company's fast track. Leadership development experts Jay Conger and Allan Church draw upon decades of research and experience--designing high-potential programs for hundreds of large well-known global organizations and assessing and coaching thousands of talented leaders--to answer the critical questions asked by ambitious individuals like you: What will it take for me to advance in this organization? What does my boss look for when deciding whether I'm a high potential? Once I'm on the list, then what? Can I fall off it and, if so, what do I do?

Revealing the key differentiators--five critical "X factors"--that set people apart across companies of all types, Conger and Church show what you need to do to achieve and maintain top-talent status. You'll find detailed advice for cultivating and practicing each X factor, with numerous and rich examples from those on the verge of their first promotion to those only a step away from the C-suite. The High Potential's Advantage also shows you how to gain insight into and excel at the specific process your company uses to identify and develop high potentials--and how to determine which unique capabilities your company values the most. The High Potential's Advantage is the essential guide to becoming a leader in your organization.

Review Quotes

Advance Praise for The High Potential's Advantage:

Claudia Raigoza, Product Manager, First Data Corporation--
"Conger and Church do all but hand you your next promotion with The High Potential's Advantage! It's an easy-to-follow road map--you'll learn how to stand out and lead with maximum impact."

Tina Daniels, Director, Agency Business Development, Google--
"This practical guide explores the five essential skills all aspiring leaders need to ascend the corporate ladder. It's a terrific playbook."

David Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Global Chief HR Officer, Marriott International--
"An invaluable resource for top talent. Conger and Church have decoded the career map. Now it's up to you!"

Chris Kempczinski, President, McDonald's USA--
"The High Potential's Advantage identifies the key attributes required to turbocharge your career and ensure you're at the top of the slate during talent planning discussions."

Peter M. Fasolo, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Johnson & Johnson--
"A practical and scientifically sound book on how to maximize your potential and stay on top. A must-read for any individual who strives to lead and adapt in an ever-changing world."

G. Joyce Rowland, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer, Sempra Energy--
"The High Potential's Advantage delivers actionable insights into the murky territory of how companies identify their highest-potential employees. You'll discover concrete ways to chart a career course and differentiate yourself. I highly recommend this book!"

About the Author

Jay A. Conger is an expert in leadership development. He has worked with thousands of leaders and is the author of fifteen books and more than a hundred articles on various aspects of leadership. He is the Henry R. Kravis Research Chair in Leadership Studies at Claremont McKenna College and is recognized as one of the world's foremost management educators.

Allan H. Church is Senior Vice President of Global Talent Assessment & Development at PepsiCo. A leading practitioner in talent management and organization development, he has designed many of the company's world-class talent strategies and tools. He is the author of several books and over 150 articles on leadership research, theory, and practice. He teaches courses on talent management at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Author social media/website info:
Jay A. Conger: kravisleadershipinstitute.org/people/jay-a-conger/; cmc.edu/academic/faculty/profile/jay-conger; ceo.usc.edu/research-scientists/conger/
Allan H. Church: hrps.org/?page=AllanChurch; pepsico.com/