Last week we launched The Roundtable Report and kicked things off with an engaging webinar with Maria Brown from MRG. A question surfaced in the chat that we didn’t have time to fully unpack. Should organizations tell individuals when they have been identified as high potential? It is a question we hear often and one that is becoming increasingly important for HR and leaders navigating talent expectations in a fast-shifting world.
Across The Roundtable’s 2026 Report on High Potential Leaders, one message is unmistakable: clarity is the loyalty lever. HiPos thrive when expectations are defined and the path ahead is not left to guesswork. Yet in our survey of HR professionals, many organizations still hesitate to share HiPo status or long-term development intentions.
The worry is that transparency leads to entitlement or disappointment. The reality is that silence carries risks too, and those risks increasingly outweigh the perceived safety of keeping things quiet.
The Transparency Gap Is Real and It Is Costing You
In the 2026 Roundtable Report, high potentials told us that clarity about expectations, opportunities, and career direction is one of their biggest engagement drivers. Leaders who report clear expectations show 10 percent higher engagement than peers who lack clarity. High-quality career conversations also strongly influence enthusiasm and intent to stay.
Yet our HR survey revealed a consistent pattern. Most organizations have formal HiPo processes, but transparency about those processes lags behind.
The reasons HR professionals shared include concerns about internal politics, limited manager coaching capability, fear of creating elitism, weak feedback cultures, and worry about meeting elevated development expectations.
But while organizations fear saying too much, HiPos fear the meaning of saying nothing. As one leader in our 2026 report put it, “I would like openness about career progression opportunities and potential change.” When people cannot see a future, they begin imagining one elsewhere.
Why Staying Silent No Longer Works
Even though the question in our webinar chat was brief, it reflects a longstanding hesitation. Traditional thinking goes, “If we tell them, they will expect promotions. If we do not, they will stay grounded.” But today’s data and lived experience tell a different story.
- HiPos already know they are HiPos.
Stretch assignments and visibility make it obvious. Naming it brings clarity. - Lack of transparency fuels disengagement.
When nothing is said, people make assumptions, and they are rarely positive. - Secrecy contradicts the culture organizations say they want.
HiPos seek clarity, direction, and focus. Silence sends the opposite signal. - HiPos are overloaded and transparency reduces noise.
Our 2026 report shows workloads, unclear expectations, and constant firefighting as major engagement drains. Clarity helps them prioritize.
What Transparent HiPo Practices Actually Look Like
Transparency does not mean certainty or guaranteed promotions. It means creating shared understanding of:
- Why they are considered high potential
• What skills they need to build next
• Where opportunities may exist
• How sponsorship works
• What the organization is committing to
Many HR professionals in our survey cited weak feedback culture or limited growth opportunities as barriers. These are not reasons to avoid transparency. They are opportunities to strengthen the development ecosystem HiPos depend on.
The Real Risk Is Not Transparency. It Is Ambiguity.
High potentials are discerning. They evaluate whether their organization offers purpose, clarity, and momentum. When they cannot see these things, they reconsider their commitment.
Our 2026 findings are clear. HiPos are not disengaging, they are evaluating. They choose organizations that offer honest, meaningful conversations about the future. If you do not provide clarity, someone else will.
The Bottom Line: Tell Them Thoughtfully
Sharing HiPo status is not a liability to manage. It is a strategic lever that builds engagement, trust, and retention.
The question is not, “Should we tell them?” It is, “How do we make these conversations a natural, supported part of development?”
HiPos do not want special treatment. They want clarity, connection, and momentum. When you give them that, they do not just stay. They lead the way.
Practical Strategies HR and Leaders Can Implement Tomorrow
- Start Career Clarity Conversations Early
Provide managers with simple talking points:
• What we see in you today
• Where we see potential
• What we would love to help you grow next - Define High Potential Consistently
Use a shared definition across the organization so no one is guessing. - Give HiPos One Priority to Anchor On
Help them identify a single growth focus to reduce overwhelm. - Train Managers in Feedback Micro-Habits
Weekly rhythm: one thing to keep doing and one thing to try next week. - Build Visibility Pathways, Not Promotion Promises
Think project opportunities, mentorship, and shadowing rather than titles.
At The Roundtable, we care deeply about high potential leaders because they change the temperature of the room. They’re curious, fast learners, and relentlessly focused on raising the bar—for themselves and everyone around them. Whether or not they carry a formal label, you know who they are. And what we know for sure is that when you connect them in a structured, peer‑based experience, their impact doesn’t just add up—it multiplies. If you’d like to learn how we can support your high potential strategy for 2026, please reach out.
