Every talent leader wants to “unlock hidden potential.” It’s become a buzzword in performance reviews, succession planning, and hiring decisions. But here’s the problem: potential is extremely hard to define, let alone measure! Too often, companies rely on proxies like past performance, confidence, or education- indicators that frequently miss the mark, especially for underrepresented and diverse talent.
So how can companies crack the potential code?
The key is to go beneath surface-level metrics and start measuring what actually drives future growth: people’s strengths, career motivators, and values.
1. Measure Strengths, Not Just Competencies
Traditional competency models often focus on what people should be good at based on their role. But strengths go deeper—they reveal what people naturally do well, where their energy flows, and what helps them perform at their best.
By using talent and strengths-based assessments like TalentPredix™, organizations gain a clearer view of where individuals are most likely to excel and grow. Unlike static skills inventories, strengths are dynamic and transferable – they give you insight into how someone might thrive in a stretch role or new environment, not just what they’ve done before.
2. Understand Career Motivators
Potential isn’t just about ability, it’s about desire. People grow faster and perform better when their roles align with what truly motivates them. Whether it’s autonomy, impact, challenge, or creativity, career drivers fuel engagement and persistence.
When companies overlook motivators, they risk promoting or hiring people into roles they can do, but don’t want to sustain. That mismatch is where disengagement and burnout begin.
3. Clarify Values Alignment
Values influence behaviour, decision-making, and cultural fit. Someone may have strong potential, but if their personal values clash with an organization’s culture or mission, they’re unlikely to realize it, or stay long enough to do so.
Conversely, when values are aligned, people feel more connected, committed, and motivated to grow within the company. Including values as part of the potential equation helps reduce bias and broadens your lens beyond traditional “high-flyer” profiles.
Put Your Talent to the Test with Stretch Assignments
One of the most powerful ways to unlock real potential is through stretch assignments – projects or roles that push people beyond their comfort zones and into areas of discomfort and growth. Unlike static tools like the 9-box grid, which often rely on subjective judgments and past performance, stretch opportunities provide dynamic, real-time insight into how individuals rise to new challenges. They reveal not only what someone can do today, but how adaptable, resourceful, and growth-oriented they can become. For individuals, it’s a chance to test and hone their talents and careers goals. For leaders, it’s a way to spot high-potential talent in action – not just on paper. If you want to see true capability emerge, give people something meaningful to grow into.
Stop Guessing, Start Measuring What Matters
Unlocking potential isn’t about finding the loudest person in the room or the one with the most impressive resume. It’s about identifying those with the talents, motivation, and values alignment to grow into new challenges, and then nurturing that potential with intention.
By embedding strengths, career motivators, and values into your talent strategy, you’ll stop guessing who can succeed, and start building a more inclusive, energized, and future-ready workforce.
Ready to discover untapped potential in your team?
The TalentPredix™ talent assessment and optimization platform goes beyond traditional strengths tools by uncovering individuals’ unique strengths, values, and motivators – giving you deeper insight into what drives performance, growth, and engagement. Whether you’re a leader, coach, or HR professional, TalentPredix™ empowers you to unlock the full potential of your people, helping individuals and teams thrive, perform, innovate and grow.
Get in touch or Book a free demo of TalentPredix™ today.
