I was just reading a survey report that said the ‘war for talent’ has been underway for over ten years. It strikes me that had we Human Resources professionals come up with a couple of ground breaking strategies on how to win talent when the war started by now we could have a few years of hard data to measure their effectiveness. In fairness I believe that the reason it remains so difficult to attract, recruit and retain top talent in any industry is because at its heart we are dealing with human beings and their reactions. Let’s face it, people are not always logical or predictable.
Your company makes a highly competitive offer to a stellar candidate and it gets rejected. Someone else made an equally compelling offer and your star went there on gut instinct. You may never know for certain what swayed him or her, but you should be certain of this: people are an imprecise business. Not that I have a solution for understanding humanity, but I do have a suggestion that I’d love to see take hold a bit more firmly: develop the potential of the people you already have. Create your own talent pool. Not ground breaking to be sure, but proven and effective.
Yes, I know. There is no guarantee that your newly developed talent will stay, as I said we humans are often unconventional in our actions. But studies have shown there is a greater sense of, and I use this term loosely, loyalty (aka retention) once you invest in a person. Think about it. When Bob feels you have taken an interest in him and foster his career along, he is more likely to engage and produce for you. Whether that is giving you amazing results in his role or mentoring his staff to contribute and be successful. Plus you get the added bonus of gaining a reputation for growing talent. Not a bad thing when you go back to the pickle of attracting the best and brightest. Key contributors want to go where they know there is a ready supply of up and coming players to support them. It seems one hand washes the other and that means starting with some raw talent.
Still skeptical? I give you Freddie Highmore. He started acting in TV roles at the age of seven and has already jumped to large production movies, holding his own on screen with big names like: Mia Farrow, Albert Finney, Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. The latter being so impressed with Freddie’s work its rumored he requested that the young actor be cast as Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As he has broadened his experience Freddie has flexed his acting muscles by creating a character using only his voice in The Golden Compass and here he is again, stretching his ability by playing twins in The Spiderwick Chronicles. If this young man were a corporation I would give you this advice: Invest in Freddie Highmore.
Now you will tell me that Freddie is one of those rare people who are gifted with the ability to act. I agree. The point is, who would know about that gift at the age of seven? Obviously someone, probably his mother/manager, saw that he possessed certain natural ability. He had aptitude. That is no different then the people working for you today. You have to see what types of innate strengths and abilities they have to offer. Then you have to nurture them. Pick the right roles for them. Give them new challenges when they are ready, but not before. You have to have a plan for managing them.
Sounds like a lot of work? Well it is. But consider the expenditure you make in searching for the right people, recruiting them, getting them to join your organization and then getting them acclimated. It’s not an overnight process and surprise- it takes a lot of work too.
Many organizations make the mistake of putting all of their development effort into the handful of employees who are already labeled ‘rising star’. These impressive few are earmarked and given great opportunities to ascend to bigger and more influential jobs. I’d like to challenge you to think beyond the ‘demonstrated performer’ box and into the area of possibilities. Look at some of those new or younger employees joining your organization in smaller roles. The ones who haven’t been tried and tested but possess ‘a certain something’ that makes you take notice of them.
Sure they have farther to go but they also have an amazing amount of room for growth and they may already have the strengths you’re going to need. Even better, their strengths may open up an opportunity for you that you didn’t even know you had. It’s worth the effort and investment to identify those strengths and give them a chance to flourish. With the right development plan you might already have your top talent working for you today.
Chris Dawson is the Principal Coach & Consultant and founder of R. Alliance LLC, a coaching and management consulting firm specializing in learning and development. R. Alliance works with individuals and organizations who want to elevate their performance and capitalize on their strengths to achieve exemplary results.
Chris has over 15 years of experience in corporate Human Resources functions, where she managed and lead training and development efforts. She has a Masters in Human Resources Education as well as extensive specialized training in coaching and performance improvement.
Contact Chris at CDawson@RAlliance.biz or visit the RAlliance website at http://www.RAlliance.biz
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