Tweet

Selecting the right talent

Written by: Lee Meadows

Article Overview: There is more to moving an organization forward than hiring people who are nice to have around. Global competition demands an entirely different focus for hiring, selecting and training employees. Talent has to be the main driver if competition is to be achieved.

Selecting the right talent

Strategic decisions to hire or not hire, select or not select and place or not place a person are just as important as the decision to buy or sell a company. Though we elevate the status of the merger/acquisition or the downsize/sell off decision because of its profound economic and financial implications, we seldom, if ever, give any strategic thought to the decision that leads to one person moving up the career ladder, across the career tundra or over the career bridge. As is often acknowledged in the Executive Profile section of business magazines, taped interviews on business talk shows and autobiographies that allow for a look back on one’s business life, the consistent theme woven through these profiles is that the toughest decisions they face are the ones that involve the strategic placement of PEOPLE! The due diligence that comes with financial reports, legal meandering, bid solicitation and portfolio analysis, while lengthy, technical and crucial to the survival of a company, can all come crashing down like a stock market panic if the wrong person is sitting at the helm. The wrong mix of background, experience and insight can be equally as damaging as any exercise in organizational restructuring.
The growth and evolution of the people selection process has seen the emergence of assessment instruments, personality profiles and structured interviewing methods, all designed to augment the natural inclination to go with one’s ‘gut’ on a people decision. In many instances the, ‘gut’ decision is jettisoned in favor of the traditional ‘seniority’ practice or the culturally reinforced, politically charged ‘entitlement’ option that often clouds the mind and judgment of key decision makers. The volatility of the current business climate demands more of decision makers than just the standard approach to getting-it-done, but to really zero in on what skills are crucial to any job or position connected to the profit and survival of the organization. The shifting tides of globalization have encroached on the once time honored practice of ‘position-mine’ and much like the ladies of Dogpatch on Sadie Hawkins Day where if you catch your husband, claim him, then he’s yours, positions have been handed out to non-competent individuals with about the same amount of forethought. When economic times are on the high end, we rarely give much thought to this kind of process. However, when standing eyeball-to-eyeball and toe-to-toe with time honored traditions caught in a vortex, standing on ceremony is no longer appropriate when the foundation is crumbling.
PEOPLE MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Talented people strategically placed in the right jobs, make an even bigger difference. Positions and titles come with money and status. This combination appeals to our needs for security, achievement and recognition. It feeds our desire to want more, but not necessarily our ability to do more. We want a position because it is available, not because we can do the job. The interest and attraction to a position does not make it an automatic gift. We assign levels of importance to titles when, in fact, the title of the position, (Mail Room Clerk, Chief Executive Officer) should have little bearing on how much forethought should go into who should occupy that spot. The structural connectivity inside most organizations is such that the way the mail room clerk goes about handling the job can have a rippling impact on how the Chief Executive Officer handles their job. Though it may seem like a reality stretch, ask any CEO what happens to their day when the mail is late!
Our primary criterion for self-evaluation is ‘Me next’ and the energy that fuels this perspective is often reinforced by managerial unwillingness to look beyond the immediate need and think, strategically, about the skill requirements and talent needed to position the organization stay competitive.

Related Articles
  Most of the Time Talent's Not Enough
  LEADERS LOVE FORMULA : TALENT+ EXECUTION.
  America’s Got Talent?
  Diamonds in the Rough
  Talent Management - Is the Investment Worth It?

Article Tags: global competition, training employees



Related Forum Posts
Re: Looking for partners to start career consulting business - Hi Mike, 1) I'm moving this to the Looking For section 2) I think a good start would be to seek out local, potential competing or related organizations/companies in your area. Universities, job centres, head hunters, HR professionals...etc. [quote:34k2gxrf]It will target professionals who want to start working at executives or higher level positions but lack necessary experience.[/quote:34k2gxrf] And I think it'll definitely help if you align your products/services with your target customer group. i.e. How do you plan to seek out this group? -------> Find the necessary talent that can accomplish this. i.e. Providing internship --------> Training in-house? Or training outsourced? Again, seek talent that aligns with your objectives. Break down what your business operations would be like, then seek the appropriate talent to cover that area. Of course, you don't want to give up too much equity by seeking out too many partners. Usually lower number of founders the more likely the start-up will survive. Good luck
$$$ - Money making is a talent. If used properly it can achieve desired results.
Animation software - What are the best software packages for creating things like animated navigation bars and gifs? And is it possible for someone with verrrrrry little if any artistic talent to create anything that looks good?
Re: What Do You Outsource Mostly? - I like to do some of my own coding and design, however I much prefer outsourcing the work. Most of the time you can find great talent for very reasonable costs. 99designs.com and elance.com Cheers
Quote of the Day - "Rarely is talent enough. You have to f - ?"Rarely is talent enough. You have to find ways to make yourself stand out." - Mark Cuban, tiny.ly/Nln6


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How to Ask for a Flexible Work Arrangement

Making the Most of Your Trade Show Experience

What Makes an Extraordinary Business Consultant?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.