It’s official: talent management is on the rebound. HR professionals are returning to claim the territory; consultancies are back on the bandwagon, conferences on the subject and sharing of best practices are de rigueur. The battle for brainpower has recommenced. The economic crisis forced organisations to undertake cost cutting with hiring freezes and redundancies. This had a negative and adverse affect on employee workloads, workplace stress and work/life balance. There has been a severe impact on employee engagement. Six in10 European organisations have reported difficulties attracting top-performing employees, according to the 2010 Towers Watson Global Talent Management and Rewards survey, prepared in conjunction with World at Work.[1] There is demographic time bomb of an aging workforce in Europe. Worldwide companies are poised to go on the talent offensive as they prepare for growth.
Redefine talent. Redefine our place in the world
It’s reassuring to know that talent matters. Yet recent events, as companies have downsized, jettisoned valuable knowledge with short-term abandon, and effectively been indiscriminate with talent (poured it down the drain in some circumstances) should serve as a warning. We are all living longer and it looks like we’ll also be working longer. Even if you are among the ‘knowledge elite’ in your own organisation it’s time to take a strategic look at your own talent. We have to begin to make the change from dependent to interdependent – from allowing others to value our talent, to placing a value on it ourselves and taking responsibility for developing that. Our perceived talent is our value. It’s also true to say that talent is too strategic and with its demographic, as well as economic political, implications it is far to important to be left in the hands of HR or management consultants. Who knows, perhaps there will be a book on ‘Talentonomics’ shortly?
But that is another subject. Let’s get up front and personal. How can we identify our raw talent at work as critical to success? Based on psychometric research of high achievers (world champions in ten cases) in sport, the arts, politics and business, including a quartet of knowledge guru’s and one of the UK’s first female chief information officers (CIO), five core characteristics or talents that enable people to maximise their knowledge and skills can be identified. In a sense they are central to entrepreneurial success as well as characteristics of those who create change.
1. Vision
First and foremost truly talented people, from world champions to top CEOs and chief knowledge officers (CKOs), have a compelling vision combined with a desire to learn and need to deliver. Within the bigger picture, they are able to visualise what the end game will look like. They learn experientially. That’s not to say they don’t like reading. They also translate the big picture into action, by prioritising goals and meeting deadlines.
2. Self-belief
Talented people have a strong sense of their place and worth. They take control and responsibility for their own destiny. They do not depend on others for this, so in that sense they are independent. Nothing is quite as contagious as optimism. They have a positive mindset, are optimistic by nature and respond well to new challenges. Finally, they are persistent. They see things through to the end and bounce back from setbacks stronger than before. Uncertainty for them affords ambiguity and opportunity.
3. Passion and principles
As John Hagel III, John Seely Brown and Lang Davison say in a guest blog for the Harvard Business Review, “make your passion your profession.”[2] To be talented is to believe in yourself and what you’re doing. Talent involves inspiring – not evangelising – to others through your own passion. It also leads the talented person to re-elevate their game against the next level of performance. They are always seeking continuous improvement, no matter how much has been achieved. Passion fuels enterprise and a striving nature. People with passion are seen as competitive, driven and persuasive. Passion is complemented by principles and ethics. They might not necessarily be trusting, many can be initially wary, but they are trustworthy.
4. A questioning disposition
Talented people are insightful, analytical and non-compliant – insightful in that they are quick to get to the core of a problem; are constantly looking for ways to improve things; and are analytical in that they frequently ask probing questions. This natural curiosity is a particular feature of talented people and one to look out for. Questions persuade. They also place you in control of a conversation. Being right doesn’t. Non-compliant means successful people don’t follow the rules. They take calculated risks and sometimes operate at the edge. They can be procedural when it counts.
5. The networking factor
Talented people develop a deep and diverse network. It’s not just what, but who, they know. They combine their networking ability with a questioning outlook, which enables them to spot connections and identify opportunities which others don’t. Typically, they are modest about their own achievements, have a low need for praise and don’t enjoy the limelight (although they often find themselves in it).They network well and are lively in social situations. The value of their network can be measured in quality rather than volume. It’s a learning community, which is based on mutual trust and reputation. Most have a stable of impressive mentors- people with a reputation in their field and trusted advisors they listen to. Because of their passion too they tend to be seen as energising by those in their networks
So what? To develop your own talent, perhaps you’d like to try our ‘mini-test’, see box below.
The test comprises quite a list of questions, so apologies about that. If looking at it alone hasn’t worn you out, then you can use your intuition to set out your own development plan to develop your talent. And believe me, you have talent!
Vision
Do you have a vision for your own future?
Do people come to you in order to set out the goals and objectives of projects?
Do you learn by experience rather than by reading?
Do you use your intuition to guide your judgement?
Are you conscientious about meeting deadlines and being on time for meetings?
Are you a deliverer? Someone who always delivers the goods?
Self-belief
Do you feel in control of your own future?
Do you take full responsibility for what’s happened to you and what will happen to you?
Do you feel positive about the future?
Do you enjoy new challenges, even when they introduce change into your life?
Are you persistent—always seeing things through to the end?
Do you bounce back from setbacks, stronger than before?
Passion
Do you believe in what you’re doing—not just going through the motions?
Do you inspire others with your passion?
Are you always looking to elevate your performance to the next level of achievement?
Are you seen as competitive and ambitious?
Are you driven to achieve?
Are you totally ethical? Do you respect confidences and honour commitments?
A questioning disposition
Do you get to the core of problems quickly?
Are you always on the lookout for ways of improving things?
Do you trust your intuition to guide your judgement?
Do you ask a lot of probing questions?
Do you tend not to over-analyse situations?
Do you think of questions that will help you learn something?
Do you tend not to follow the rules?
Do you dislike following procedures?
Do you take moderate risks?
Do you construct contingency plans to mitigate risks?
Networking
Do you have a deep and diverse network?
Are you modest about your achievements?
Do you tend to be quiet in social settings?
Are you considered lively rather than sombre?
Do people trust you to honour commitments and deliver the goods?
Are you a mentor to someone who is a ‘developing talent’?
Note: First published in Inside Knowledge, Volume 14 Issue 3, November 2010. www.ikmagazine.com
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Professor Peter Saville and Tom Hopton of Saville Consulting, with whom I collaborated on their book Talent: Psychologists Personality Test Elite People, as well as Bob Wilson and the Willow Foundation for inspiring the research in support of their charity.
[1] www.towerswatson.com/talent-management-rewards
[2] http://blogs.hbr.org/bigshift/2009/04/four-ways-to-use-serendipity-t.html