HiPo Nomination Form with Selection Criteria
Use this HiPo Nomination Form to capture manager nominations with clear ability, aspiration, and engagement evidence. It standardizes review inputs so talent teams can compare candidates consistently.
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Overview
This HiPo Nomination Form with Selection Criteria is built for manager-submitted nominations of employees being considered for high-potential review. It organizes the inputs talent teams need to compare candidates: nominee information, nomination context, ratings for ability, aspiration, and engagement, supporting evidence, development gaps, and manager attestation.
Use it when your organization wants a structured way to collect nominations before a talent review, succession planning meeting, or leadership calibration session. The form works best when your criteria are already published and managers need a consistent place to explain why someone should be considered. It is especially useful when multiple departments, locations, or people leaders are submitting candidates and you need comparable evidence instead of free-form recommendations.
Do not use this form as a general performance review, promotion request, or disciplinary document. It is also not the right tool if your organization has not defined what “high potential” means, because the ratings will be hard to interpret without shared criteria. If you only need a lightweight list of names, this template may be more detailed than necessary. The structure is designed to support a real review process, including clear field types, required versus optional inputs, and a manager attestation that creates an audit trail for downstream talent decisions.
Standards & compliance context
- Use only the employee data needed for the nomination to align with GDPR data minimization and internal privacy controls.
- If the form is part of an HR decision record, retain submissions according to your organization’s audit trail and recordkeeping policy.
- If the template is adapted for accommodation-related talent processes, include accessible language and fields that support ADA reasonable-accommodation review.
- Make required and optional fields explicit so the form remains usable under WCAG 2.1 AA expectations for public-facing or employee-facing workflows.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Nominee Information
This section identifies exactly who is being nominated so the review team can match the submission to the correct employee record.
- Nominee name
-
Nominee employee ID
Optional if your organization uses employee IDs for lookup.
- Current job title
- Department
- Work location
Nomination Context
This section explains why the employee is being nominated and how broad the nomination is, which helps reviewers interpret the recommendation.
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Why are you nominating this employee as high potential?
Summarize the case in 3-5 sentences. Focus on observable performance, growth trajectory, and readiness indicators.
- Time in current role (months)
- Nomination scope
-
Development actions already completed
Select any formal development actions the employee has already completed.
Selection Criteria Assessment
This section captures the core high-potential ratings and the evidence behind them so the review is based on observable behavior, not opinion alone.
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Ability
Rate demonstrated capability to perform at a higher level or in broader scope.
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Behavioral evidence for ability
Provide specific examples of outcomes, complexity handled, decisions made, or scope expanded.
-
Aspiration
Rate the nominee’s expressed desire and motivation for broader responsibility and growth.
-
Behavioral evidence for aspiration
Describe observed behaviors that show ambition, learning orientation, and willingness to take on stretch opportunities.
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Engagement
Rate the nominee’s commitment, energy, and sustained engagement in the organization.
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Behavioral evidence for engagement
Provide examples of ownership, initiative, collaboration, and commitment to team and organizational goals.
Supporting Evidence
This section gives reviewers the concrete accomplishments, stretch work, and development risks they need to judge readiness and future potential.
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Key achievements supporting this nomination
List 2-5 achievements with measurable outcomes where possible.
- Achievement details
-
Stretch assignments or leadership experiences
Describe any cross-functional, enterprise, or leadership experiences that demonstrate readiness for broader scope.
-
Known risks or development gaps
Identify any capability gaps, readiness risks, or support needed to succeed in a higher role.
Manager Attestation
This section confirms the manager stands behind the submission and creates a clear accountability trail for the nomination.
- Manager name
- Manager title
- Manager email
- Attestation
- Manager signature
How to use this template
- 1. Add your organization’s published definitions for ability, aspiration, and engagement so managers rate against the same standard.
- 2. Map each field to the right input type, using text fields for names, numeric input for tenure, and rating controls for the selection criteria.
- 3. Assign the form to managers or people leaders who have direct observation of the nominee and can provide behavioral evidence.
- 4. Ask the manager to complete the nomination context, evidence fields, and development gap section before the talent review meeting.
- 5. Review the submission for missing evidence, inconsistent ratings, or unsupported claims, then route it to HR or the calibration panel.
- 6. Record the final decision and any follow-up development actions so the nomination produces a clear next step.
Best practices
- Require behavioral evidence for every rating so reviewers can see why the nominee scored the way they did.
- Use conditional logic to show stretch assignment or development-gap prompts only when the manager selects a high-potential path.
- Keep the nomination scope explicit, such as team, function, or enterprise, so reviewers understand the context of the recommendation.
- Limit PII to what the review process actually needs and avoid collecting sensitive personal details that are not used in the decision.
- Ask for recent examples from the last review cycle rather than vague career history so the form stays current and actionable.
- Separate achievements from potential signals so strong performance does not get mistaken for leadership readiness.
- Include a clear submission note that explains who will review the form and what happens after it is submitted.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What is this template used for?
This form is used to nominate employees for high-potential review using published selection criteria. It captures nominee details, nomination context, ratings for ability, aspiration, and engagement, plus evidence and manager attestation. The goal is to make nominations comparable instead of relying on informal recommendations.
Who should complete the form?
A direct manager or another leader with firsthand knowledge of the employee should complete it. The form asks for behavioral evidence and recent examples, so the person submitting should be able to explain the ratings. HR or talent teams usually review the completed form after submission.
How often should HiPo nominations be collected?
Most organizations collect nominations on a defined cycle such as annual talent review, midyear review, or after a leadership calibration meeting. The template works best when the cadence is published in advance so managers know when to prepare evidence. It can also be reused for ad hoc succession planning if your process allows it.
What evidence should be included in the ratings?
Each rating should be backed by specific examples, such as cross-functional impact, learning agility, ownership of stretch work, or sustained engagement in the role. The form is designed to avoid unsupported opinions by requiring evidence fields next to each criterion. If a manager cannot point to observable behavior, the rating should be reconsidered.
How does this template help with fairness and consistency?
It uses the same criteria for every nominee, which reduces the risk of vague or inconsistent nominations. Required evidence fields and manager attestation create a clearer audit trail for review discussions. That structure also supports more consistent calibration across departments and locations.
Can we customize the criteria or rating scale?
Yes. You can adjust the rating scale, add company-specific leadership competencies, or rename the criteria to match your talent framework. If you do customize it, keep the field labels and definitions published so managers understand what each rating means before they submit.
What are common mistakes when using a HiPo nomination form?
Common mistakes include nominating someone based only on tenure, using generic praise instead of behavioral evidence, and skipping development gaps. Another issue is overusing the form for every strong performer instead of reserving it for employees being considered for future leadership potential. The template helps prevent those problems by separating achievements, evidence, and risk areas.
How can this form fit into our HR systems?
It can be used as a standalone form or connected to HRIS, performance review, or talent management workflows. Typical integrations include employee lookup fields, approval routing, and export to a talent review dashboard. If you collect PII, make sure the submission path and access controls match your internal privacy rules.
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