GM will choose its high-potential candidates — its "hi-pots" — very early in their careers and put them on a faster track than even before.

Remembering how he was picked out early and brought along rapidly, Swearingen has set up a system to identify young executives with "high potential" for future advancement. The Hi-Pots, as they are known, are shifted often into ever more demanding jobs, and their performance is reviewed by top management.