High Potentials: Capability vs. Capacity (And Why It Matters)

Many organizations invest heavily in identifying high-potential employees, future leaders who consistently deliver results. They’re capable, reliable, efficient, and they follow through. Naturally, that often leads to one thing: more responsibility.

But this is where leaders need to be careful.

One of the most common (and costly) mistakes I see is confusing capability with capacity.

High potentials are capable of doing more.

That does not mean they always have the capacity to do more, especially over time.

The Hidden Risk of Overloading High Potentials

High potentials tend to:

• Take pride in getting things done
• Push themselves to meet expectations
• Avoid complaining or pushing back
• Figure things out on their own

Because of this, leaders often don’t hear when capacity is being stretched too far.

What starts as “just a little extra responsibility” slowly becomes a sustained overload. Over time, this creates imbalance, how the employee experiences their role, the workplace, and even the company itself.

And when that imbalance lasts too long?

High potentials don’t burn out loudly.

They leave quietly, and often very quickly.

These are your future leaders. Losing them is one of the most expensive forms of attrition a business can face.

1. Leaders Must Actively Think About Capacity

The first responsibility sits with leadership.

Before adding responsibility, pause and ask:

• How much time will this actually take to do properly?
• Is this a daily task? Weekly? Ongoing?
• What meetings, check-ins, or follow-ups does it add?
• What’s going to break if we don’t remove something else?

High potentials don’t cut corners. If you give them something, they’ll do it thoroughly, and that takes time.

Even rough estimates help. Ballpark the hours. Look at how everything adds up across a week. And critically, ask:

What can we take off their plate if we’re adding something new?

Capacity management isn’t just about adding, it’s also about redistribution. That may mean shifting tasks to another person, team, or department.

2. Proactive Check-Ins (Before There’s a Crisis)

Too often, leaders check in with high potentials after something goes wrong.

By then, it’s too late.

High potentials will try to solve problems themselves. They’ll push through. They’ll be the hero. That’s exactly why leaders must be proactive, not reactive.

Effective check-ins sound like:

• “How is your workload actually feeling right now?”
• “What’s taking more time than expected?”
• “Where are you feeling stretched?”

Tools like:

• Time diaries
• Time blocking
• Workload reviews

can make these conversations objective and constructive. They help both leader and employee clearly see how time and energy are being spent.

3. Reward Output, Not Just Effort

This one catches a lot of leaders... including me.

It’s easy to praise people for working hard. And effort does matter. But when effort is rewarded more than outcomes, we unintentionally reinforce overwork.

Instead, shift the focus to:

• Results
• Impact
• Smart prioritization
• Better decision-making

Ask questions like:

• “What was the simplest way to achieve this?”
• “Where did you focus for the biggest impact?”
• “What can we stop doing next time?”

Publicly recognize smart execution, not just long hours. Give people permission to work smarter, not harder, and reinforce that behavior consistently.

4. Build Recovery and Growth Plans for High Potentials

High potentials thrive on growth. Learning energizes them, but only if it’s done intentionally.

That means:

• Creating development plans
• Investing in training and skill building
• Redistributing work during learning periods

For example, programs like a 12-week management or leadership development program work well when paired with temporary workload adjustments. Their team can absorb some responsibilities while the individual builds new capabilities.

This creates healthy cycles:

• Peaks when business demands it
• Troughs where capacity is restored
• Space for learning, recovery, and growth

These rhythms are essential for long-term performance.

Sustainable Performance Is Built - Not Extracted

In the end, sustainable performance doesn’t come from leaders who extract the most from their people.

It comes from leaders who grow their people the best.

If you’ve identified high potentials through succession planning, now is the time to ask:

• How are we managing their capacity?
• What’s the plan for their growth?
• How do we ensure they’re strong, not just surviving, today and into the future?

Handled well, high potentials don’t just stay, they become the leaders who carry your organization forward.

I’m Andrew Buchan, your Business Accelerator.

Andrew Buchan
Executive Coach | Business Accelerator
ActionHTX.com