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America’s Got Talent?

Guest post by: Ben Nash

Article Overview: If you have been watching NBC on Monday nights recently you may have seen the show “America’s Got Talent”. It doesn’t specify what kind of talent America’s got – just that we have it. Tonight we had examples of talent from midget break dancers, a Frank Sinatra wanna-be, and a group of eleven year old dancing girls. I guess they define “talent” quite loosely on this show. Which brings me to the following question: just how do you define talent? Personally, I have been known to strum the banjo, but does that kind of talent prepare anyone to ascend the management ladder in today’s corporate America? I think not.

America’s Got Talent?

If you have been watching NBC on Monday nights recently you may have seen the show “America’s Got Talent”. It doesn’t specify what kind of talent America’s got – just that we have it. Tonight we had examples of talent from midget break dancers, a Frank Sinatra wanna-be, and a group of eleven year old dancing girls. I guess they define “talent” quite loosely on this show. Which brings me to the following question: just how do you define talent? Personally, I have been known to strum the banjo, but does that kind of talent prepare anyone to ascend the management ladder in today’s corporate America? I think not.

No! Being talented in corporate America these days is definitely something different. So there you have it. Our Daily HR tip for today. Do not promote people to executive positions in your corporation purely on the basis of their ability to play the banjo, break dance, or any other hidden talents.

So seriously, what kind of talent should you look for in people who will be exceptional future leaders in your organization. It comes down to three areas:

• Head Talent – the smarts to think analytically and make insightful judgment calls
• Heart Talent - the integrity and the ability to relate effectively with others at all levels
• Guts Talent- people with strong values and the resilience to see things thorough to the end

Forget the talented midget break dancers and banjo players—concentrate on identifying people in your organization who are smart, empathetic, and have strong values. These are the people that need to be promoted. Trust us, you won’t go too far wrong.

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Article Tags: americas got talent, corporate america, frank sinatra, human resources management, management ladder, organizational development



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