Talent management is about great conversations. In order for it to work, an individual needs to bring an awareness of who they are so decisions made can reflect the needs of the team, the individual, and the organization. Assessments are helpful in giving the talent (people) in your organization a baseline of information to build that self awareness. Here is my opinion of how those assessments stack up.
Much is made about all the responsibilities a leader has, yet many of those go unseen by people that might benefit from knowing. People would probably be surprised by all the things a leader has to deal with, and if they knew they might be able to help. This post uses a letter sent my a worried family member to a the leader of an artillery battery to make the point and remind us some of the responbilities of a leader have not changed much.
Assessments in talent management – whether it is selection, high potential development, career development, leadership development, or any of the other pieces – is important. Here are 4 traps and a truth around using asssessments so you can make a good buy instead of being sold something that will not work.
What are you most proud of. Talent management and leadership is about understanding people and engaging them in the process and problems of running an organization. Of getting work done. Here is a question to renew energy and share what matters to them.
Talent management is a lot of things, but great conversations during transition is a big part of it. Chip Conley shares an equation in his book Emotional Equations that captures the essence of Selection AND Onboarding the right way. Whether it is an internal leadership transition or a new hire, use this formula to manage your talent to a successful start.
What is the impact of a personal note from a leader? Part of talent management is effectively connecting with your people and showing them that you care. Based on a recently published article, the mail is where you will have the least competition for their attention. People love letters!
The #1 question to ask in any talent management process, and probably the most difficult to answer. Great Leadership / Followership starts with a clear target, and this is it.
Professional development and talent management is often focused on the skills we need at work. Many of those same skills apply to our lifes/roles outside of work. I was reminded of that recently when I went to a parenting seminar and learned something that most leaders need to know – managing conflict and teaching your children to do it well.
Leaders need to understand non-verbals, and they need to be comfortable and competent in using that information to have a richer conversation. The Birkman method is one reminder/tool I use to help leaders see that what is happening on the outside is not necessarily what is happening on the inside.
Parenting, friendship, and leadership. Developing as a person or helping develop the talent in your organization has similar truths that go between them. Here are a few connections I have found that transcend work and home life.
Questions from HR professionals around the Talent Scorecard and other talent management activities. These two questions center around talent management in small companies and how my approach to performance compares with the focus of Crucial Conversations.
Managing Right For The First Time is a book for new and experienced managers to think about what they do and learn how to do the basics right. Building culture is a key task of a leader, and everything they do impacts it. However, there are some big things they could be doing that will make a substantial difference in the culture they create. This is part of a series of posts around a book by David Baker. Culture is a critical piece in the talent development for any team or organization, and it starts with performance management.