I shared with a group of human resources leaders last week my trick for finding out what others think about the terms I like to use. Are you ready for some brilliance? Here it is . . . . . . . I Google it. Sometimes the clearest answers are right in front of us. My aha . . . . moment came as I prepared to talk to HR leaders from Wisconsin about talent management. I Googled the term Talent Management Michigan, the top five hits were sites related to managing actors and models.
Today(10/24/2011) you have an opportunity to get a sense for what your CEO is hearing about talent management because there is a special section in the Wall Street Journal called Leadership: Human Resources. One of the reasons I had an aha . . . – there is no headline has the word Talent in it. (a good reminder for us as HR leaders that we sometimes speak a different language). It is a great read and offers an opinion on the talent shortage that made me go hmmm . . . . The opinion is around whether we have a talent shortage or are we scoping jobs to big and paying too little for people to do the jobs? Hmmm . . . .
Two things to do with this:
1. Use it as a conversation starter. Is there anything in the article that addresses a problem you know a leader is facing? Pass the article on and offer to sit down to problem solve with them.
2. Pass it on to a Senior Leader in your group. Leaders love to be equipped to prepared for tough questions from peers or in a position to drive tough discussions. You have heard me talk about followership – it is a good follower practice to make sure leaders see things their peers will likely be talking/asking about.