Success isn’t born, it’s made. Day after day. Year after year. The challenge for big and busy companies is spotting those executives who are quietly putting in the late nights and diligently developing themselves into the leaders of tomorrow.

Empowered by data, HR managers are discovering new ways to recognise high performers and coach them into more productive and stimulating roles. No longer is talent measured and managed through blunt instruments like the annual appraisal. Instead, data analytics are enabling more rewarding relationships between employer and employee.

Measure what matters

To achieve success, you must first define it. A manager considered successful in an aggressive start-up may not be held in high regard in an NGO. Success in the former role may be defined purely by financial contribution, while the latter may be defined by contribution to the community. Agreeing the performance metrics that matter is critical to the success of both the employee and their employer.

There may be no one definition of success, but there are three key indicators that should be on the dashboard of any talent management platform: who is volunteering for projects above their pay grade? Who is diligently completing their training courses? And who is eager to work abroad, even in challenging markets? Irrespective of an employee’s role, those who are keen to contribute to the company beyond their specific function are those likely to lead it in the future.

Objective measurement is also useful for identifying talent that defies the stereotype of success. For example, young women are often perceived to be uninterested in or lacking the confidence for an international assignment. So when shortlists are being formed, they may not even be considered. But data may tell a different story: a woman with a young family may actually be eagerly applying for roles abroad on the company’s intranet. At the same time, someone who is perceived as a man of the world may actually be perfectly content working in their home environment. Only by tracking these choices and analysing the data can HR see each person’s leadership potential by removing the biases that impede diversity.

Turning insights into action

Data’s real value comes into its own when it is taken from the dashboard to the boardroom. Once success is defined and high flyers are identified, they can be put on an accelerated career track, with new engagements in diverse environments. Enabling opportunity for talented professionals to achieve success is vital to keeping them in the company—and out of the hands of competitors.

At the same time, data analytics can be used in support of employees who are struggling. If someone isn’t volunteering for assignments like they used to or has steadily fallen behind in their personal development plan, HR can identify these issues in real time and resolve them before they become irreparable. Data insights into productivity and performance can also reveal other roles within a firm that might better suit an employee’s personality and skills.

From annual reviews to agile engagement

Empowered by data, HR managers can—and should—strengthen their relationships with employees. In place of a formal annual review, real-time insights can facilitate a more agile approach to performance management and enable more opportunity, more quickly, for high performers. Rather than measure an employee’s past performance once a year, managers can focus on their current productivity and evaluate how it can be enhanced to achieve future goals.

Success takes time and deserves to be measured in real time. Data insights can help HR managers to objectively identify their future leaders and create the opportunities that will keep them motivated and engaged. When employers measure what matters, high flying employees don’t have to fly under the radar.

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Charles H. Ferguson

Are your high flyers flying under the radar?

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