Merriam Webster defines talent as “people possessing a natural aptitude or skill.” As businesses know, however, a good amount of the talent their employees possess isn’t “natural,” but rather, it was developed by astute managers who possessed the forethought, insight, and leadership to identify and nurture their company’s rising stars.
Strong “talent” can be acquired in two ways – hiring a new employee or developing one already in the company. Smart companies know they must be active in both areas – that is, maintaining connections to pipelines of qualified potential hires and developing the talent already in-house.
So how does a manager recognize talent? There are a couple of tell-tale signs:
The individual is:
- a strong cultural fit and understands the organization;
- exhibits a strong work ethic and a capacity for getting work done;
- is bright and naturally curious;
- displays natural leadership, teamwork, relationship-building, and listening skills.
Once an individual is recognized for both the strength of their current performance and their future potential, it then becomes the work of the company’s leaders and managers to devote time and resources to cultivating their talent. That’s the hard work. So, what’s the strategy?
First, communicate clearly to the employee that the firm recognizes their value and envisions greater potential.
Second, assign the individual special projects or place them on committees or tasks forces so they can broaden their vision and understanding of the firm’s activities and interact with a broader range of co-workers.
Third, encourage the pursuit of academic degrees, professional credentials, or personal development workshops that might fill gaps, improve skills, or grow knowledge.
Lastly, identify a manager who will act as a mentor by sharing values, tracking progress, and guiding them to their full potential.
Developing and retaining top talent is hard work but worth the effort when compared to the financial cost and loss of productivity replacing top talent requires. So, develop a culture for identifying and fostering talent, you won’t regret it.
