It’s not the job that you do but the way that you do it

Abstract

Purpose

Advances the view that employee potential needs to be assessed based on capability to handle the breadth and complexity of a given role, for which past performance may not serve as a good indicator.

Design/methodology/approach

Proposes a role-based perspective for evaluating performance and identifying employee potential.

Findings

Details practical ways of implementing a role-based approach and identifies how to overcome obstacles.

Practical implications

Explains why promotion needs to be based on a person’s adaptability and potential to deal with complexity rather than his or her ability to do more of the same.

Social implications

Reveals how organizations can be made more effective by promoting the right people.

Originality/value

Concentrates on the importance of employee potential in selecting the right people for promotion.

Citation

Srikanth, P.B. (2015), "It’s not the job that you do but the way that you do it", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-12-2014-0153