2/3/11: Top Talent Development Posts this Week

Every week, I review blogs that cover talent development to find the very best talent development posts. This week, you’ll find pointers to pieces about aging brains, hiring for attitude, holding on to top talent, executive coaching, and the value of human capital and what to do about it.

From HBR Michael Schrage: Are Your Most Talented People Losing Their Minds?

“For knowledge-intensive industries, people’s talent, expertise and ingenuity are essential ingredients for success. Agile minds are our richest resource for sharpening our competitive edge. So just how closely should management monitor their employees’ minds?”

Wally’s Comment: Michael Schrage takes a look at the aging working population and asks, “Do you know if your people’s brains are working the way they should?” He’s addressing degenerative ailments here and dementia, but I’d add another question: Is information overload sucking the power of your brain function?

From HBR Bill Taylor: Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill

“Over the years, as I’ve studied high-impact organizations that are changing the game in their fields, they’ve adopted a range of strategies and business models. But they all agree on one core “people” proposition: They hire for attitude and train for skill.”

Wally’s Comment: The importance of attitude and cultural fit and whether people are good team players is a given for anyone who’s worked as a boss. But many hiring processes seem to consider only the qualifications that you can describe easily on a resume.

From Portfolio: Holding On to Top Talent

“Millennials are eyeing the economic recovery with one target in mind: getting a new job. More than 87 million Americans who are 18 to 34 highly anticipate changing jobs this year, according to a survey released last week by Western Union Payments’ Money Mindset Index. A survey of future hiring trends released Monday shows that 42 of 84 companies plan to add jobs in the next six months.”

Wally’s Comment: This article is aimed at small businesses, but there’s plenty here for you if you work for giant MegaCorp.

From Mary Jo Asmus: What Makes Executive Coaching Different?

“Engaging with an executive coach could make a very big difference for you. But it may not. Your results with an executive coach will depend on the skill of the coach and your willingness to embrace the coaching process with gusto. So you might prefer to spend your organization’s hard earned dollars on a workshop, a retreat, or other form of training. So why would you consider working with a coach over other options for your development?”

Wally’s Comment: If you’ve ever wondered about whether executive coaching should be part of your corporate or personal leadership development, this post should be your must-read of the week.

From Bret Simmons: Does Human Capital Matter?

“For your company to achieve high performance, you need to acquire and nurture the best and brightest human capital available and keep these investments in your company. This is the bottom-line conclusion of a study recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology entitled “Does Human Capital Matter? A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Human Capital and Firm Performance.” Human capital is the knowledge, skills, and abilities of your employees. Past research has shown that some of the most important aspects of human capital that drive company strategy and performance are the experiences, education, and training of managers.”

Wally’s Comment: Bret Simmons draws out the practical implications of this research so you can understand what it means for you and your company.

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Wally Bock

Wally Bock is a coach, a writer and President of Three Star Leadership.