Time span of discretion has to do with roles. When it comes to people, we seek to discover their current time horizon – the scale of one’s ability to work into the future. aka current potential capability CPC

This can be done in two ways. (see: http://www.peoplefit.com/Learning-Library/Judging-Current-Potential.html)
The first is the expert method whereby an interviewer engages a person in an arguement building/problem solving interview, and then the structure of their responses is analyzed. Different structures will point to different levels of capability.

The second is a process we use internally in companies (talent pool evaluation, see: http://www.peoplefit.com/Talent-Assessment/Talent-Assessment.html) whereby the managers and managers-once-removed are taken through a facilitated process to make those current potential capability judgments about their direct reports and their direct reports once removed.

First we plot the roles (using time span of discretion) and those become benchmarks. Then we plot people relative to those roles. For the purposes of the talent pool evaluation exercise, we isolate CPC by assuming they have all the knowledge, skills, experience they need. And we assume they have the temperament and the desire for the role.

Regards,

Michelle

But what if we must fill a role requiring a level 3 capable individual and don’t happen to have someone with a demonstrated track record of completing 2-year time span projects on the team waiting for the chance? Are there other ways to tease out their innate capability?