All experiences are not created equal: Some experiences lead to more learning than others. To qualify for advancement, traditional wisdom held that future leaders had to "sit in all the chairs". However, moving people through most jobs not only takes years but it may not effectively accelerate development.

Developing the next generation of leaders through experience requires a deep understanding of experiences and the lessons they teach. To isolate key experiences, CLS samples a company's best talent, and then studies them in depth. A database of most valuable experiences is created-those experiences executives feel helped them become successful. With a clear understanding of the experiences and learnings required to be successful, high potentials can be placed in the right positions and assignments at the right time to maximize their development. Systematically tracking top talent through key experiences can increase their learning and development.