How does anyone become a HiPot
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You need to consistently excel in your work, demonstrate discretionary effort and leadership, and be willing to relocate your family anywhere. If you can't do all of these or just don't want to, then hi-pot is not for you.
I had a boss who moved to Nigeria. Died of malaria. Nope. Not for me.
Beat the HiPots, unionize.
Hi-pot status is mathematically assigned to the top 15% of performers by PSG each cycle and management discusses their careers. You need to be in the top 15% consistently to retain the status. Once they hit PSG24, they get discussed centrally and start the rapid rotation through development jobs at 18-month intervals (tech co, planning, out of function, etc) then into management and up the ladder. They also attend the super exclusive training events with lunch and dinner with executive management for guaranteed exposure to top brass. If you impress MW or NH at one of these events you may be offered a plush HQ roll.
Donut smiles
Walk around the office with “HiPot” printed on the back of your shirt. Voila, you are now a HiPot.
Since you are on the layoff.com asking this, the correct answer is by @1job+, below.
High-pots are pedigrees. Go to the right schools, be related to upper management. A few really smart people do get in, but the key characteristic is to be self-centered. Ignore your teammates but be super visible to management. Brazenly claim their work as yours. Bypass your manager and spend lots of time in their manager's office. Offer to take notes at meetings. Wedge your way into highly visible projects where the plain-janes do all the work and you can present it to management as if you actually participated in the project. Once you're identified as a HP, you're on easy street. There are no technical HPs, only management HPs. You no longer have to pretend to be doing the work, just act as if you're the manager already. ...and of course, there's the growing cadre of diversity HPs.
I was a hi-pot but ended up leaving the company. It’s not as glamorous as you think it could be.
Your chances of being a HiPot are almost zero. I suggest not wasting your time thinking or worrying about it. You should be working on increasing your skillset not shmoozing with the bosses.
Possibly handle MWs 12 millimeter member!
Right on @1qzl …!
Easy, get hi by smoking pot and dream on.
You need to demonstrate leadership potential within your first couple of years and butter the bread of those at least three levels above you. Focus on organizing high level "events" (corporate or at least multiple business unit), and yes social networking (e.g., women's network) seems to be one way of raising your visibility with the powers that be.
You need to be a member of one of the protected groups. If not, you can always switch genders. The best course is to forget about that and get on with your job.
Do good work and don’t be a PIA to your boss