One Page Talent Management- is there really such a thing?

Recently read the book with the same title, written by Marc Effron and Miriam Ort.

Their concept at the core is simple. All organizations take a process (in their case, they are analyzing talent processes), dissect the process, redesign it, place it up on a system and then build all kind of rules around the process. What the final result is, is an overly complex, unwieldy set of tools that try to anticipate every variation and hence add to the pain and headache for employees who need to comply with the new process.

So, their mantra is a simple three steps:
- start with the science of the intent
- eliminate complexity, add value
- create transparency and accountability

For each of these, they describe their methodology and thought process and how to apply these to every talent management process. For example, adding value, how do you simply do that? Adding value means making it easier to use, eliminating redundancies, obviously inferior choices, so that the process will be used the correct way and yield actionable results.

Eliminate complexity, let's look at SMART goals. They suggest that 5 steps to creating a SMART goal is wasteful, they do it in 3! Specific, important and Measurable are all that matters.

Using the science in a 360 assessment, creates accountability. Too many questions from too many people require a science degree to interpret the results. They say, why not just ask each rater to recommend what the person should do more of (positive reinforcement) and what that person should do less of (changing out of bad behaviors)...makes sense, but I never saw anyone do it that way.

Finally, I'll talk to how they look at competencies. We all know that there are 20,30,40+ competencies out there that really define 90% of the knowledge worker's universe. So if all my people are competent in 'buiness acumen' but all of my competitors are as well, so what. So if all my people are competent in 'sales execution' and all my competitors are as well, so what. You get the picture. What they say is they you need to define what behaviors in YOUR company make up the culture, make things work and provide for the competitive advantage that your competitor doesn't have and cannot replicate.

Take GE- their behavioral anchors were: imagination, expertise, inclusiveness, clear thinking and external focus. They didn't get these from a book.  They used these to build their competency model which framed the behaviors that new hires needed to be successful and that their competitors could not replicate. But it was so much simpler that the FYI 67 competency model that makes everyone the same as everyone else.

read the book, it's fun and different.

WSJ highlights what talent managers know: keep developing, keep training THROUGHOUT THE CRISIS

Some of the sound bites from this article are beginning to sound all too familiar.

I thought all of the talent managers would want to read a synopsis of what Dana Mattioli had to say in her "Theory & Practice" column published on 2/9/09

Those of us who remember the previous downturns all too well, see the same things happening again. Companies historically cut leadership-development programs during downturns, but the moves backfired and prompted midlevel managers and top performers to leave before the economy recovered…It’s obvious that without capable managers “the ability to come through (the recession) in a healthy fashion is diminished”.

Josh Bersin of Bersin Research (a talent management analyst) says the deepest cuts are typically in training for ‘soft skills’ such as communicating with co-workers and conducting meetings. He says “…leadership development is taking a growing share of training budgets. Identifying and grooming leaders is important in good times…in time of crisis when the economy is struggling…it’s imperative”.

Executives need to deploy the proper set of tools that will provide direct operational impact (lower costs and increase productivity): by increasing retention, by deepening your bench strength, through employee development, and filling those critical skill gaps.

As the Wall Street Journal identifies, the problems being sewn today require new systems for tomorrow. Looking forward, 2nd generation Talent Management Systems can offer HR partners, OD&E specialists and executives with tools that will increase employee development, engagement and productivity.

I'm not sure how your company manages this today or what your vision is for the recovery, but feel free to schedule 10 minutes with me to discuss specific customer case studies that might help you.