Growing demand for talent, abundance of lucrative opportunities, cut-throat competition for attracting and retaining top talent has led the senior leaders from the HR community to put immense thoughts on a ride to ascertain that the top talent remains engaged. However, mere thoughts and ideas would not make a difference until some of them are put to practice in efficient ways. Engaging high potentials is no tick in the box activity and requires serious commitment from the leadership. Here are a few tips that may help organizations do it in more effective manner.

Acknowledging potential is essential

People who truly have the potential would figure it out sooner or later even if their current organization values it or not and once they feel the lack of acknowledgement and appreciation for their talent, they will look out for the same elsewhere. So organizations need to constantly watch out for them, appreciate them, motivate and reward them differently.

Real challenges woo them

Nothing can turn off a high potential than being in a non-challenging routine role. Organizations should put them into roles that are challenging and provide them the opportunity to harness their potential to the maximum while adding to their individual and organizational growth.

Give them space

Once the high potentials have been provided the roles that they deserve they will surely seek flexibility and freedom to do it their own way. Organizations should try their least to command them on how to do things. Provide them the liberty to explore and experiment along with an open environment where they can speak their mind.

High potentials too need support

Provide your high potentials a mentor they can trust and call upon in times when they need advice. A high potential would not always be a high performer and there will be ups and downs. That is when a mentor-mentee relationship comes in as a boost.

Show your care

Last but not the least, all the efforts an organization would put in training, assessments and other on-job activities for high potentials would simply remain a formality unless the top management shows their involvement and commitment for all these. It makes a huge difference when the high potentials see true value flowing down from the top levels.