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 on succession planning (and not about Apple!), mobile learning, HR and the CEO, and a leadership development crisis.
From Tim Sackett: Succession Planning: You Should Treat it Like Baseball’s September Call-Ups
“Ok, Tim – why the hell should we care about Major League Baseball’s September Call-Ups?”
Wally’s Comment: This is a great post and it’s not just another sports analogy. Tim Sackett describes a specific people management practice of major league baseball teams and suggests that you can adapt elements in your company. I like it because it’s yet another form of “try it before you buy it” succession planning.
From HR Bartender: ASTD Research: Mobile Puts Learning In the Palm of Your Hand
“We talk about the idea of being a lifelong learner. This whole idea of learning continuously via a mobile device makes it possible. Definitely something worth paying attention to.”
Wally’s Comment: The headline to this post gives you a clue about where the world is going. Sharlyn Lauby talks about “learning,” not “teaching.” That’s one of the big shifts in thinking that’s occurring as you read this.
From John Bell: Why HR and the CEO Should be Joined at the Hip.
“The day the Jacobs Suchard (now part of Kraft Foods) Board of Directors promoted me to the C-Suite, they strongly suggested I align myself with the CFO. The advice proved excellent, and for the rest of my days in the corner office I was joined at the hip with an outstanding finance executive who is now the CFO of Lindt & Sprüngli, the world’s leading chocolatier. My regret is that I did not free up my other hip for Human Resources, a group of eager young managers at the rear of the functional pecking order.”
Wally’s Comment: John Bell reflects on his time as a CEO and the contribution his HR team made. If you’re a CEO, you should read his reflections. If you’re in HR, you may want to bookmark this one for compelling arguments to use with your CEO.
From CIPD: Leaders face leadership crisis
“What makes a great leader? It’s a slippery thing to define – but what’s for sure is that organisations which put the effort into shaping employees into the next generation’s Steve Jobs or Sir Terry Leahy are heavily rewarded. The bad news, though, is that a survey has indicated that the UK’s leaders aren’t particularly impressed with the work their own companies are putting into developing their next generation of managers. According to figures by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, just four in 10 leaders think the measures their company has put in place to coax out their employees’ inner CEO is ‘highly effective’ – which means six in 10 don’t. “
Wally’s Comment: Developing leaders is a lot like planting trees. The people who do the planting probably won’t enjoy the shade. But putting off the planting counts as dereliction of duty.
Carnivals, Lists, and Such
The Leadership Development Carnival hosted at Great Leadership
