After the PhD: Managing After the PhD: Managing your talentyour talent

Stephen SwailesStephen Swailes

University of HuddersfieldUniversity of HuddersfieldPhD Conference, Hull, 10PhD Conference, Hull, 10thth February 2011 February 2011

AimAim

To help you think about… To help you think about… • what top employers are looking forwhat top employers are looking for• how you can respondhow you can respond

Why is talent on the agenda?Why is talent on the agenda?

Increasing trade and labour mobility Increasing trade and labour mobility raises competition for exceptional raises competition for exceptional employeesemployees

Changing career expectationsChanging career expectations Retention and turnoverRetention and turnover People deliver differential People deliver differential

performance (80/20?)performance (80/20?) TM is a key strategic issue for HRMTM is a key strategic issue for HRM

Modern history of talentModern history of talent 1950s – US research on ‘promotabilty’1950s – US research on ‘promotabilty’

1970s – emergence of Strategic HRM 1970s – emergence of Strategic HRM

1980s/90s – interest in the high performance work place1980s/90s – interest in the high performance work place

Modern history of talent…Modern history of talent…

1997 - “War for talent” 1997 - “War for talent” captured practitioner captured practitioner imagination & created a new imagination & created a new discoursediscourse

‘‘Resource-based view’ helped Resource-based view’ helped to explain how HR strategies to explain how HR strategies linked to performance (VRIO)linked to performance (VRIO)

But what is it?But what is it?

Talent – people perceived as Talent – people perceived as delivering outstanding results in delivering outstanding results in relation to what organizations want relation to what organizations want to achieve. to achieve.

TM – attracting, developing and TM – attracting, developing and retaining high performers and high retaining high performers and high potentialspotentials

Core assumptions of TMCore assumptions of TM

Some skills & attributes contribute more Some skills & attributes contribute more than othersthan others

These skills can be assessedThese skills can be assessed Some positions contribute more than othersSome positions contribute more than others Talent in key positions is critical Talent in key positions is critical Talent is scarce Talent is scarce Failure to manage talent compromises Failure to manage talent compromises

organizational performanceorganizational performance

TM can be seen as....TM can be seen as....

SystematicallySystematically•Creating a vision of being Creating a vision of being

‘exceptional’‘exceptional’•Seeking, nurturing, developing, Seeking, nurturing, developing,

rewarding and retaining those rewarding and retaining those who deliverwho deliver

•Embedding that approach in Embedding that approach in organization cultureorganization culture

Example: What Cargill look forExample: What Cargill look for

Learning capacity (learning more than is Learning capacity (learning more than is taught)taught)

Executive capacity (‘relentless Executive capacity (‘relentless determination’, sense of priorities, determination’, sense of priorities, optimistic, compelling)optimistic, compelling)

Knowledge of the businessKnowledge of the business Behaviour (‘discuss, decide, champion’)Behaviour (‘discuss, decide, champion’)

Cargill’s strategyCargill’s strategy

Bi-annual organizational talent Bi-annual organizational talent review to findreview to find• Next generation leadersNext generation leaders• Emerging leadersEmerging leaders• High impact performersHigh impact performers

RBS - core competencesRBS - core competences

LeadershipLeadership Engagement (improving the business)Engagement (improving the business) Customer focusCustomer focus Managing people and changeManaging people and change Efficiency & innovationEfficiency & innovation Performance management & Performance management &

developmentdevelopment

PWCPWC

Technical skills taken for grantedTechnical skills taken for granted Measure against 7 behavioural Measure against 7 behavioural

competencescompetences Move staff around the businessMove staff around the business Provide mentoring supportProvide mentoring support Intensive, long residentials for future Intensive, long residentials for future

leadersleaders

Organizations often…Organizations often…

1.1. Identify key positions that impact on Identify key positions that impact on competitive advantagecompetitive advantage

2.2. Create a talent poolCreate a talent pool

3.3. Create differentiated HR architectureCreate differentiated HR architecture (Collings & Mellahi, 2009)(Collings & Mellahi, 2009)

The dark side: dysfunctional The dark side: dysfunctional workplaces?workplaces?

Over-emphasising the individual?Over-emphasising the individual? Glorifying the ‘talented’?Glorifying the ‘talented’? TM is a self-fulfilling prophecy?TM is a self-fulfilling prophecy? Elitist cultures – ‘untalented’ become Elitist cultures – ‘untalented’ become

cynical?cynical?

(Pfeffer 2001)(Pfeffer 2001)

SummarySummary

Views of talent are shaped by top Views of talent are shaped by top managementmanagement

P-O fit & Person-job fit are crucial. (Is P-O fit & Person-job fit are crucial. (Is the workplace drawing out your the workplace drawing out your talents?)talents?)

Many biasing factors hinder talent Many biasing factors hinder talent spottingspotting

And finally…And finally…

““Everyone has talent at 25, Everyone has talent at 25, the difficulty is to have it at 50”the difficulty is to have it at 50”

Edgar Degas, 1834-1917Edgar Degas, 1834-1917