Indirect impact of high performers on the career advancement of their subordinates

•High performers indirectly impact their subordinates' career advancement.•This “indirect” impact can be understood via the lens of SLT & SIT.•The “indirect” impact can be considered additive to “direct” impact.

This paper proposes a conceptual model depicting the “indirect” impact of high performers on their subordinates' career advancement. Although certain characteristics demonstrated by high performers are not usually linked directly to either the development or career advancement of their subordinates; we propose a model to help bridge this research gap. Our conceptual framework allows us to understand the positive relation between characteristics of high performers and their subordinates' career advancement. For this paper, those characteristics were classified into two categories — a) job competencies and b) networking abilities. Using Social Learning Theory, we propose that high performers provide modelling stimuli based on live experiences to their subordinates. To better understand the relationship between the characteristics of the high performer and their subordinates' career advancement, we have explored a set of moderators and mediators pertaining to the subordinate. In addition to “indirect” impact, using past literature we have also articulated the “direct” impact on subordinates' career advancement.