Anyone in management about?

[ButtonRose]

If you said to an employee that they had "so much potential", what would you REALLY mean by that?

Probably depends on what the rest of the conversation was. I’m very straight with my team if I think they aren’t doing what they need to I tell them. It could they think you aren’t meeting your potential or maybe they were trying to be encouraging. What was the context?

Either they need to stop being lazy, or they're quite junior and need some development in the form of mentorship or courses. The first one is the employees personal issue, the second is the managements responsibility. Depends on the context of the rest of the interview/report/meeting etc.

It was just a casual comment from my boss, out of nowhere. They said "you have so much potential". They often compliment me on my work, but I'm not sure how to take this comment.

They have been giving me more responsibility lately, though intermittently, and I got exceeding expectations at my last review. My team leader said they had "big plans for me". I'm still not sure that it actually means anything though.

I think id probably take it as a compliment. Its akin to 'you'll go far in this industry'.

@ButtonRose

They have been giving me more responsibility lately, though intermittently, and I got exceeding expectations at my last review. My team leader said they had "big plans for me". I'm still not sure that it actually means anything though.

I mean, come on. Surely you can see that its all positive?

Senior manager here. Based on what you've said and the contexts you have given, it sounds as though they think you could go a long way in your industry. It seems as though they want to expose you to different workstreams and your capable of much more with the correct support and training. Its all positive

I mean, come on. Surely you can see that its all positive?

I know it sounds very positive, but I'm just not convinced it will translate into anything concrete..so I just wondered if it was just a thing that could be said, but ultimately be meaningless.

I would take it as a general encouragement/words of support. Now it's on you to follow up properly - make sure you've got a good development plan in place, you're clear about your career goals, you have a mentor, progression plan etc.

@ButtonRose

I mean, come on. Surely you can see that its all positive?

I know it sounds very positive, but I'm just not convinced it will translate into anything concrete..so I just wondered if it was just a thing that could be said, but ultimately be meaningless.

Yeah of course it can be meaningless. People can say stuff without making good on it. That'd be a pretty poor manager though.

Senior manager also.
Well. You’ve been ‘spotted’, ‘recognised’. If it’s not just vaguely encouraging empty words then they’re saying you should progress.
The rest is up to you and the available mechanisms for promotion and advancement in your work area. It’s not all up to your managers to develop you.

Of course it won't translate into anything concrete, you still have to work hard for it.

I manage a graduate who is fantastic and I have told her often that she has a lot of potential and will go far. She's on a 12 month internship - she will only go far if she actually works hard to apply for permanent positions and then consistently applies for promotions throughout her career!

Of course , I understand, and I do work hard and take any opportunities available.

I've said it to a member of staff when they've been a bit of a let down and I know they can do better. But from your updates I'd say it can only mean good things. Context is everything!

It’s a compliment. It means you could go far if you apply yourself and if you want to.

As a manager, I would only say that to someone I genuinely thought had the potential to progress.

I’d only say that to someone else who I believed could go further in their career.
It wouldn’t necessarily mean an immediate path to promotion but I’d want to mentor and guide them to assist if they are keen to progress. That may involve them taking further qualifications more independently as well in our industry.

That I intend to promote them/create an opportunity and want them to apply. It would also be slightly testing their motivation for progressing too, not everyone wants to. It's the perfect time to express your interest in going up a level, find out what plans, opportunities, timescales are, if thats what you want.

@ButtonRose

If you said to an employee that they had "so much potential", what would you REALLY mean by that?

That they have the ability to climb the career ladder

Thank you for all the replies. Much appreciated.