Hire for Slope: The Road from High Potential to High Performing

Recorded live at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Shravan Goli, Chief Executive Officer at Colibri Group; Max Wessel, Co-CEO at Degreed; Kenneth Schumacher, Founder & CEO at Ropes AI; and Taryn Hess, Principal, Talent Enablement & Transformation at EPAM Systems.

The speakers discussed how today’s fast-changing work environment has made it increasingly difficult to find candidates who meet every qualification out of the gate. They emphasized the importance of hiring for “slope”—a person’s potential and the speed at which they realize it—rather than solely for static credentials. The session explored how leaders can identify high-potential talent and equip them with the tools and support needed to accelerate performance and thrive amid ongoing transformation.