Question

Six pathways can be adopted in whole or in part to achieve success through managing talent. These are described more fully on page 325: (1) Embrace a decision science perspective. (2) Encourage informal learning. (3) Revolutionize stale processes. (4) Relinquish some control. (5) Align strategy, structure, and talent. (6) Establish a meaningful, enduring culture.

For purposes of this discussion:

1. What evidence would you use to convince top leaders in your company that investing in talent can reap great rewards for the organization?
2. How would you prioritize among the six strategies offered in the text above? Which would you implement first, second, and so on? Why?

Answer 1

I will provide evidences from the real world to convince top leaders in my company that investing in talent can reap great rewards for the organization. In fact talent and human resources is the most valuable assets of any organization. Take the example of GE. The company invests large sums of money, time and resources to nurture its talent. In fact its ex-CEO Mr. Jack Welch started a center in Crotonville while he was at the helm. This center is the company’s management training center and trains managers for future leadership positions. Another evidence can be provided with the example of Virgin Group of companies which is led by its Chairman Mr. Richard Branson. Mr. Branson says that for Virgin Group its employees are its core assets and the group focuses on keeping its employees happy, motivated and satisfied. This will lead to happy customers automatically and thus incremental value will also be created automatically. Both GE and Virgin Group have been able to do extremely well only because they have invested in talent and this has reaped great rewards for the respective organizations.

I will systematically prioritize among the six strategies. First of all I will establish a meaningful and enduring culture. This will be done first because this will help in developing common values and hence we will be able to hire and develop talent that supports the organization’s cultural attributes. Secondly I will implement the alignment of strategy, structure and talent. This is because once the culture is established then alignment of strategy will ensure synergy with all aspects of talent in the long run. Third I will implement the embracing of a decision science perspective. After the establishment of culture and alignment of strategy a decision science perspective will help in getting tangible benefits with regards to development of employees and we will be able to easily identify which approach is working and which is not. Next I will implement the changing of the stale process. This is because once the approaches that are working are identified it will be important to next determine which processes are in tandem with the needs of the employees. Fifthly I will implement the encouragement of informal learning. This is because once the systems and processes are put in place it will be necessary to introduce various methods that can be effective for learning of the employees. Lastly I will implement the relinquishment of control. Once all the structures are in place and collaborative tools for learning are being used employees can be granted autonomy and flexibility so that they can fully use the structures and the processes to their maximum advantage.