Potential vs Performance: What's the Difference?
Potential concerns what someone may be capable of developing.
Performance concerns what someone is currently demonstrating.
Both matter — and responsible assessment should avoid confusing the two.
Potential
Concerns what someone may be capable of developing — future-oriented, about possibility, often uncertain, may require opportunity, can exist before experience.
Performance
Concerns what someone is currently demonstrating — present or past-oriented, about evidence, more directly observable, requires actual demonstration, usually depends on experience.
Looking only at potential
Looking only at potential can create unrealistic expectations. Someone may be described as highly promising but fail to develop without adequate support or opportunity.
Looking only at performance
Looking only at current performance can cause organizations or individuals to overlook developing capability. A person who has had limited opportunity cannot always demonstrate what they may eventually be capable of.
A balanced approach
A balanced approach asks: what can this person currently demonstrate? And: what evidence suggests they may be capable of developing further? That distinction is especially important in education, recruitment and talent development.
Understand What You Have and What You Can Develop
Penagix helps you understand both your current capabilities and the natural gifts that point toward future development.
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