What is high slope talent?

High slope talent refers to individuals with a steep trajectory of growth and performance. Shane Parrish discusses the concept with Kunal Shah on The Knowledge Project, highlighting the importance of attracting and retaining these high-performing individuals within organizations. High slope individuals elevate the standards of their environment, inspire others, and prefer working among similarly driven peers. An organization full of such talent maintains a "talent density" that is highly appealing to top performers. Conversely, if high performers are surrounded by average or mediocre coworkers, their engagement decreases and they are likely to leave. Companies that focus on revenue per employee tend to retain high slope talent, as they avoid descending to the mean, which can become uninteresting to high performers 1.

Kunal Shah adds that historically, employment was often based on years of experience, but future hiring may shift to favor the density of experiences per year—essentially, candidates with a high "slope" or rate of learning and achievement 2. The concept of high slope talent underscores the value of continuous learning, ambition, and growth, which are critical for both individual success and the dynamism of an organization.