Post on 15-Jul-2015
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Tell or don’t tell?
Talking talent with your employees.
December, 2014
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2
Presenters.
Jim PetersSenior Partner, Global Leader
Succession Management
Solutions
Lisa Niesen Senior Product Manager for
High-Potential Assessments
Cori HillGlobal Lead for High-Potential
Leadership Development
In today’s war for
talent, it’s essential to
have a winning talent
management strategy
for succession.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4
Today’s agenda.
• Introductions.
• Tell or don’t tell?
• Talent management context.
• Transparency.
• Talking about talent.
• The performance-potential matrix.
• Conversations and communications.
• Questions.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 5
Poll question.
Which statement best describes your organization’s approach to “tell or don’t tell.”
1. We generally do not tell, secretive; no real communication regarding potential.
2. Minimal communication with and about high potentials.
3. We have inconsistent communication practices across business units.
4. We have a defined protocol for consistent, transparent communication, inconsistently implemented across the organization.
5. We have a defined protocol for transparent communication, consistently implemented across the organization.
1
2
3
4
5
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6
Korn Ferry study.
No63%
Yes 37%
Are employees who have
been identified as high
potential formally told
about their classification?
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 7
“YO”
Should you tell a high potential their designation?
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 8
Common concerns and benefits.
• Demotivation effects:
Many organizations are concerned
that differentiation of employees by
performance and potential will
demotivate those who were not
selected.
• Entitlement effects:
Telling employees about their
status may lead to unrealistic career
or development expectations.
• Engagement:
77% of high-potential leaders report
that being identified was highly
important to them.
• Retention:
High potentials who are not formally
identified are more than twice as
likely to report that they are seeking
alternate employment.
Concerns Benefits
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9
Maturity model for HiPo strategies.
Reactive Inconsistent Standardized TransparentBusiness integrated
11% 10% 31% 29% 19%
• HiPo strategy implemented
inconsistently.
• No clear identification criteria.
• Targeted HiPo development varies
among business units and is
determined largely by individual
managers.
• Little executive engagement in
business unit level HiPo decisions.
• Little understanding of short-term
critical talent supply and demand.
• No integration of HiPo strategy
with other talent processes.
• HiPo strategy implemented company-wide.
• Clear identification criteria.
• Targeted HiPo development varies among
business units and is determined largely by
individual managers.
• Moderate executive engagement in
company-wide HiPo process decisions.
• Short-term planning & understanding of
critical talent supply and demand.
• Integration of HiPo strategy with select
other talent processes.
• Disclosure to HiPo’s regarding their status
is inconsistent.
• HiPo strategy implemented company-wide.
• Clear identification criteria.
• Targeted HiPo development implemented
consistently cross the enterprise.
• Moderate executive engagement in
company-wide HiPo process decisions.
• Longer-term planning & understanding of
critical talent supply and demand.
• Integration of HiPo strategy with select other
talent processes.
• Full and consistent disclosure to HiPo’s
regarding their status.
• Support HiPo’s in transitions.
• HiPo strategy implemented company-wide.
• Clear identification criteria.
• Targeted HiPo development implemented consistently across the enterprise.
• Full executive engagement in company-wide HiPo process decisions.
• Longer-term planning and understanding of critical talent supply and demand.
• Full integration of HiPo strategy with other talent processes.
• Full and consistent disclosure to HiPo’s regarding their status.
• HiPo strategy drives competitive advantage for the organization as
documented through business metrics (low turnover, high engagement).
• HiPo talent is visible enterprise-wide and shared.
• Support HiPo’s in transitions.
• No HiPo
strategy.
• HiPo employees
identified via
ad-hoc process
and without
clear criteria.
• No targeted
HiPo
development.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10
Benefits of transparency.
“Would the presence of a high-potential program make a
difference to you if you were seeking a new employer?”
Korn Ferry study.
Leadership potential.
An individual’s capacity and
interest to develop the qualities
required for effective
performance in a significantly1
more challenging leadership role.
1Typically, a senior executive role or a role 2 or more levels above the leader’s current role.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 12
Seven signposts that predict performance potential.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 13
Leadership teams have been known to:
• Overstate the performance of
their talent.
• Be unclear about the definition of
potential.
• Confuse performance with
potential.
• Fail to develop pragmatic and
meaningful development
challenges.
• Confuse potential with readiness.
There are problems with talent reviews.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 14
Variables to consider.
• Altitude: How high in the leadership pipeline can each person go?
• Velocity: How fast can they go through the pipeline?
• Path: What is the best route for them to take to achieve their potential?
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 15
Performance and potential matrix summary.
• Valuable tracking tool
that is useful for
differentiating talent and
managing human capital.
• It’s not enough to
differentiate in
assessment–you must
apply differential
development.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 16
Doing the talent review.Talent calibration: Performance and potential.
A research-based, validated and repeatable process that provides a clear view of your talent
placed into nine cells with associated development plans unique to their cell placement.
Benefits to the organization:
• Develops the ability within your leaders
to objectively and accurately assess
performance and potential.
• Emphasizes the creation of pragmatic
and meaningful development
assignments.
• Reinforces a culture where talent and
potential are valued.
• Leaders learn how to have discussions
about talent and how to take action to
develop it.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 17
Performance-potential matrix.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 18
Sample development needs analysis.
• Functional leaders.
• Technical experts.
• Focus on self-awareness.
• Exposure to develop and apply
learning agility.
• Leading accounts or operations.
• Leading managers.
• Need opportunities to demonstrate
learning agility and push to expand
interests.
• General managers.
• Leading leaders.
• Focus on strategic agility and
change agility.
• Potential for enterprise leader.
• Strategic exposure.
Development priorities:
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 19
Developmental coaching.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 20
• The organization believes you have the potential to reach the highest levels.
As a result, we would like to put you on an aggressive development and
assignment plan.
• We believe you have the potential to assume the following role. To prepare
you for this role, we would like for you to take on an assignment which will
provide you with critical development in specific areas. A coach will be
available for you to discuss your experiences.
• I’d like to discuss with you your future in the organization. We believe you
have the potential to assume a key leadership role.
Consistent star.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 21
• I’d like to discuss with you some development opportunities in the
organization. We see you as a superior performer with the potential to fill a
role either within your functional expertise or a broader role within the
organization. What are your career aspirations? Are you interested in moving
outside your function?
• You have been suggested for a new and different role. We consider this a
development opportunity for you that is aligned with your career goals and
the business goals of the organization. As a result of this opportunity you will
be developing in the following areas.
• The organization would like to get a clear picture of your strengths and
development opportunities. We suggest a 360 degree assessment to help us
more effectively determine the developmental path that is most appropriate
for you.
Versatile talent.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 22
• The organization believes you have the potential to eventually lead in this
functional area. To prepare you for that role, we would like to develop your
capabilities in the following areas.
• You are viewed as an expert in the organization. As a result, we want to continue
to leverage your expertise and build your skill in this area. To continue to build
your expertise, we would like for you to participate in the following areas.
• As someone who is viewed as an expert, we would like for you to lead this
project. This will enable you to continue to build your expertise as well as develop
critical leadership competencies.
• The organization sees you as having the potential in your current function.
However, since you have expressed an interest in broadening your capabilities
we would like to provide you the following opportunity to test your abilities.
High professional.
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 23
• Create consistency prior to transparency.
• Gain alignment within the HR community.
• Engage managers.
• Provide communication guidelines, scripts, and job-aides.
• Invest in coaching skills development.
• Review your high-potential talent regularly.
• Clearly communicate criteria.
• Acknowledge talent sharing managers.
• Build in accountability; complete development and career plans.
Transparency strategies.
What questions do you have?
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 25
• Download the Tell or Don’t Tell? Talking talent
with your employees white paper.
• Learn about the Korn Ferry Assessment of
Leadership Potential.
• Connect with your local Korn Ferry
representative for a free consultation.
Want to learn more?
© 2014 Korn Ferry. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.