By Michael O'Brien

When discussing high- performing employees, a distinction must be made between them and high-potential employees, says Kurt Ronn, founder of Atlanta-based HRworks.

“The pool of high-potential and high- performing employees often overlaps and both are important to retain.  The difference between high-potential and high-performance is subtle but real,” he says. “A high-potential employee is one who has ‘runway’ or room to grow and contribute in a greater capacity. His or her performance might not be as high as the very top performer, but the potential is there and worth investing in for the company.

“The high-performing employee does not necessarily have the potential to grow and expand his of her role or responsibility; but his or her results are important. Many companies evaluate performance and potential.  A high-performer who has high potential is very desirable; conversely, a high performer with lower potential for growth is still a very valued commodity, as performance is usually a measurement of results, whereas potential is a measurement of future contribution.”
 
In the end, Ronn says, the difference may come down to a matter of time.  “High performers are the backbone of the current company,” he says.  “High potentials are the future backbone of the company”

View original publication in Human Resource Executive Online