When someone says 'She/he has got potential' what exactly does that mean? It usually means they have or show signs of being able to develop further in the future. Does that mean we all have potential? I guess it depends. I mean, I have the potential to have my own successful business because of the skills and experience I have gained and because of new ones that I have acquired. However, I don't think I have the potential to be the number 1 ranked women's tennis player in the world, no matter what skills I try to acquire!

In what aspects of your life or career do you have potential? Are you living up to your potential? Perhaps your potential is untapped, unexplored or maybe you've even buried it believing that it wont help you or make you enough money etc. to pursue.

For us to deliver on the potential we have we must take action, we can't expect to just be successful because we have it. So, what do you need to do to live up to your potential? Acquire new skills? Get more of the (right) experiences? Find resources and others who can help you? Sounds pretty straight-forward but how do you control that when you work for someone else or in a big company that has many people who have potential? It's perhaps easier to get the technical skills through enrolling in training (internally or externally), but what of the experiences and the on-the-job skills you need? How do you get them and will you get them in the time-frame you have set for yourself?

It helps if you are clear on what you want and what you need and that others are in agreement. It helps also if you are prepared to be flexible about how and when you get what you need. For example you may believe that the only way for you to get experience and skills managing a diverse team is to be the boss of a team like that. Perhaps though you can get that experience and more from being in charge of a project where you need to influence people to help you rather than them help you because you are their boss?

To unleash your potential be clear on what you need, who can help, how you can get what you need. Above all remain focused on the outcome you want and flexible on the ways you can get there!

"The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good." ~ Brian Tracy