Today, and probably more so in the future, there are few jobs or assignments you can step into knowing it all (or even close). This is where Learning Agility makes a difference. In this era of complexity, your past accomplishments will certainly still matter, but they won’t be enough. Success will depend on how effectively you can perform and adapt when confronted with unforeseen circumstances, dilemmas, crises, and complex problems.

Grounded in research from the Center for Creative Leadership think tank and used by companies for nearly 20 years, Learning Agility has emerged as the most valid identifier of high potential leaders and reliable predictor of executive success. It is more accurate than even IQ, emotional intelligence, or education level. Why? People who are learning agile more readily learn new skills and behaviors and carry forward that learning to perform successfully in a diverse mix of situations.

It’s estimated that just 15 percent of the global workforce are highly agile learners, so securing this kind of talent for leadership roles is becoming an important strategic differentiator for businesses. In fact, close to 25 percent of the Fortune 100 and 50 percent of the Fortune 500 use Learning Agility as a means to identify leadership potential for internal and external job candidates. Top universities and executive business schools in the U.S. and beyond have also started using Learning Agility in their curriculum.

Korn/Ferry International has extended the understanding of Learning Agility through 20 years of research and practice, and it’s value is clear. People high in Learning Agility get promoted faster and more often than their peers, advance closest to the top, and achieve greater success after promotion. In fact, one recent study found that Learning Agility predicted potential in employees at a rate 18 times greater than looking at past performance alone.

In our next installment, we’ll pull back the curtain on the research foundations of Learning Agility to answer the question: where did Learning Agility come from?