GENERAL TRAITS OF HIGH POTENTIAL MANAGERS
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Competitive, ambitious – “fire in the belly”: risk taker, insatiable drive to improve, impatient, inner-driven, self-starter: will make personal sacrifices.
• Adaptable, resilient- can cope with change and ambiguity, reacts well under stress.
• Maturity- understands personal strengths and shortcomings and works around them: has learned from mistakes; objective, open-minded.
• Presence- makes good impression; politically aware; good sense of humor; integrity and honesty
INTELLIGENCE
• Mental quickness- fast study, diagnostic and analytical skills, memory.
• Practical – “street smarts”
• Creativity and conceptual skills
• Integration and organization of thoughts, ideas, and data
• Breadth of interest and perspective – business and other.
LEADERSHIP
• Ability to take charge, establish goals, vision; rally and motivate others.
• Courage of convictions- will push back on the system; question the status quo.
• Production-minded; “delivers the goods”, dependable.
• Upbeat, “can-do” attitude, self-confident, decisive, high energy level, hard working; stamina, predictable, consistent; instills pride and professionalism.
• Attracts and develops the best people; doesn’t settle for second best; good coaching and listening skills; fair, open, candid.
• Interpersonal skills – can relate to all layers of the organization, tact and social sensitivity.
• Firmness with people; can make tough decisions.
ADMINISTRATIVE
• Sets high standards and expectations.
• Ability to plan and organize work.
• Uses measurements, good follow-up.
• Balances delegation and control.
• Establishes priorities-makes effective use of time.
• Knows how to leverage resources, evaluate alternatives.
• Balances short and long-term business needs.
• Communicates at all levels.
• Knows what is going on in the organization, doesn’t get surprised.
• Verbal/written skills-good salesman and negotiator.
• Early leadership identification traits.
