Tim Tams and a Talent Mindset

If I had genie-like powers and could grant clients instant wishes, after the never-ending packet of tim tam jokes subside, a “talent mindset” would top many lists.

A talent mindset is the deep-seated belief that an organisation’s talent differentiates it from its rivals and is a source of competitive advantage. It is evident when an organisation’s leaders, HR function and employees all consider talent management to be part of their job and are accountable and incentivised for carrying it out. While all three play a role in embedding a talent mindset, it cannot be overlooked that senior leaders have the greatest impact.

For a talent mindset to flourish, leaders first need to feel ownership for talent on behalf of the enterprise. This means taking responsibility for managing today’s talent and also strengthening the team or organisation for the future. Unfortunately, leaders often see talent management as the responsibility of HR, not a business accountability supported by HR.

So what can be done? Well this depends on whether or not leaders are open to data and changing their minds. If the answer is no, then the best outcome is slow and incremental change. If the answer is yes, a case for talent management can be made.

What constitutes a compelling case will depend on the pain points your leaders are experiencing. Is productivity down? Are execution problems evident? Is the organisation’s reputation suffering? Is market share at risk? Where your answer is “yes” your case will need to address these issues. The following framework is useful for selecting the type of case you believe will hold the greatest sway:

The alignment case. Link the value of talent practices to achieving organisational objectives.

The business case. Calculate the monetary impact of improved talent practices, such as the time, replacement and opportunity costs associated with turnover.

The experiential case. Show the impact of talent practices on people, culture and careers. For example, involve leaders in the design and delivery of talent development programs, putting them in the box seat to witness the positive impact they have on participants.

The comparative case. Demonstrate that others are taking similar actions through benchmarking and comparative data. Conduct an external scan of current practices in the marketplace to glean fresh insights.

The null case. Articulate the cost of doing nothing and losing momentum and morale.

So the case for talent management has been made and you have a handful of influential leaders over the line – what next? One option is to enlist these senior stakeholders (ideally including the CEO) to provide strategic oversight of the organisation’s talent agenda. This can be achieved through a talent committee / council / forum (or whatever language works best for your organisation) whose mandate is to achieve competitive advantage through the effective governance and execution of talent-related activities.

Another option is to add five minute Talent Drills to leadership team meetings as way of proactively managing ongoing talent needs in line with business priorities. Topics include resourcing for critical projects, key vacancies and known people movements such as secondments, promotions, retirements or extended leave, and talent looking for their next move.

Finally, it can’t be denied that what gets measured gets done. To truly foster a talent mindset you will need to include talent related KPIs in senior leaders’ performance plans to drive accountability. For many leaders developing others exists in direct competition with the “real” jobs they are incentivised for – achieving operational or financial targets – so it’s vital that the leaders who do invest in talent management are recognised and rewarded for it. Example KPIs include the percentage of direct reports with development plans in place, the number of “ready now” successors for the leader’s role and the number of active mentoring relationships the leader has.

While genies granting never-ending packets of tim tams is the stuff of urban legend, a talent mindset need not be. Flame conviction at the top by creating a compelling case for talent management that addresses senior leader pain points, draw on key business stakeholders to oversee the talent agenda, and incentivise and reward leaders who do make it their business to develop others.

About the Author

Justine La Roche is a registered psychologist and Senior Consultant with Curve Group, a business improvement consultancy with expertise in people, culture and change. Justine has assisted a broad range of organisations with their talent management strategies and leadership development efforts including NAB, Orica, The CBH Group, Australia Post and BP.

By Justine La Roche on May 6, 2013, H.R Daily.