Talent Management

Well here we are again moving along the talent pipeline. Embedded in our diagram is true talent management, it’s the combination of all these process and systems coming together for the greater good. But, let’s talk more about what true talent management is.

True talent management is making sure you have the right person in the right position, at the right time, with the right skills and abilities, as well as emotional intelligence, and aspiration and engagement. To execute those strategic goals, and those strategies that we’ve also talked about, for your company, your department, and your team.

Talent management is not nice to have in the world of business today, it is critical. We’re still operating in the war for talent. We still don’t have the ability to assume that what works today will work tomorrow. We have to be flexible and understand that the changing strategy of our teams and our divisions, our companies in fact, we have to be fast and we have to be nimble. True great talent managers need to operate at the speed of light. We need to know where we have to be and what we need. It’s totally different, perhaps from month to month or year to year.

Those that are able to manage their talent, will be ready when the world changes again, and the world is changing very fast. You see that by the technology that you’re participating in.

Just a short time ago, the possibility to just screen a course like this across the world would not be possible. Those that are flexible and nimble, and have the data to retain their talent, will be able to take their teams to the next level. This brings me to the idea of knowing what you have. One needs to understand what the qualities and developmental needs are of their people. We know that those who concentrate on their strengths, when they are at their best, will move forward faster. But that doesn’t mean that one doesn’t have to concentrate on less developed qualities. When I’m at my best, I’m coaching and I’m teaching my students.

As well as when I’m coaching and I’m teaching, the executives that I work with on a daily basis. When I am able to impart simple things to enhance what they are trying to navigate, it gives me my greatest pleasure. I received a letter from one of my students, just today, this morning in fact, an email. A student from last semester, who had worked on a couple of internships in the nonprofit space for a couple of years during her school time here at the university. But last winter she was really struggling with what she wanted to do with her life. We talked, and got to the bottom of her angst.

A fear of failure, and a fear of failure for working in the not-for-profit space. Something many people have. It was sort of her fear of the unknown. We discussed what the worst things that could happen would be. And they weren’t that bad. She decided to take an internship in a Fortune 500 company. And wrote about it in the journal that I had her keep during the summer. She had a great experience. And it was a successful one in fact. Far from failure. She asked to meet soon to talk about next steps. It’s gonna be a great discussion. She has the ability.

She has the learning agility to take what she knew from the nonprofit world and cascade it right into the for-profit world, even though she didn’t know it. She has the total aspiration to excel in the world, and as a non-American, to excel in her country as well. To help to take her country forward. She had the engagement all summer to do well for this company and to be recognized for it. And her journal told me she was recognized for it. She’ll need to improve her emotional intelligence, see herself for who she is. And be able to see what others think.

I think this will take some age, some maturity and having others around her to shore up her insecurities. That’s where leaders come in. It’s important to coach and counsel our team members for the greater good and to take them to the next level.

Now it’s your turn. When are you at your best? What do others see when they look at you, when you’re at your best? I want you to use the A3E2 model to describe yourself, and the qualities that you have.

When was the person who you rated earlier, your person, at his or her best also? What did you see in them? Can you tell a story? Can you tell a story using the qualities of A3E2? I think you can. Story telling is painting a picture in the mind of someone else so that they’re more apt to remember it, because they can see it in their minds eye. Storytelling is what I call passion with a purpose. Using colorful, emotional, moving words that can excite the senses.

Again, story telling. It’s passion, with a purpose. I’d like you tell a story about yourself and another one about your person. Leaders who are able to be story tellers are more human to others. They create pictures. Paintings in our minds that are unforgettable. They inspire us to do more, to see more possibilities, to move forward into the future. This is not a storytelling class, but I encourage you, if you desire to be a leader, if you have that aspiration. To be the talent we’ve been creating here. To be able to hone this skill will serve you well. It’s a very useful and important skill.

I look forward to see what you come up with. Wow us with all your creative story telling. Paint a picture in the brain of someone else that they will remember. This will also set the stage for our development of the talent that we talk about in the next segment. So create a two minute video, a video about you when you are at your best, using the strengths of the A3E2 model. And then, create a two minute video about someone who works for you, or a team member, somebody you want to help develop in the future.