By Jana Martinova – Managing Partner, Czech and Slovak Republic, at Accord Group

Hiring high-potentials you sometimes have to encourage your gifted colleagues to move on and go for a new challenge to make it to the next level. Meeting them 10 years later and 5 levels higher makes me proud for them more than for myself.

Therefore it is really stupid to ask your subordinate to stay, just because their leaving creates a problem and diminishes your comfort zone. There are 3 clear advantages of supporting your high-potentials in their search for a challenge outside the company:

1) Personnel moves in your structure become more predictable as your staff will not hide from you and be transparent in their intentions;

2) Having examples of Alumni in high positions in other organisations will make your company more attractive for young talent; and

3) A well-managed transition often helps to maintain a relationship beyond the employment and creates a natural network of supporters.

All this is well-known to top-schools and strategic consultancies, but it is good to have it in mind the moment one of your high-potential comes to your office to tell you s(he)’s got an opportunity to move on.