What kind of “reality” TV show do you like best?
They’ve become a staple of television because they’re relatively inexpensive to produce and because people like them. Many of the shows feature some kind of Darwinian, survival of the fittest, competition that pares down a pack of contestants to one final winner, week by week.
My wife and I watch the cooking shows. And it turns out that those shows teach an important lesson. There’s no such thing as undifferentiated talent.
Thanks to the magic of DVR technology we watch every episode of “Hell’s Kitchen”,” Top Chef”, and “America’s Next Food Network Star.” In some ways they’re the same.
The shows all whittle down the contestant list using challenges. The challenges are all timed.
The contestants are all good cooks. In other words, at a quick glance, they’re all the same kind of “talent.”
But they’re not. Each show is looking for something more than simply the ability to prepare great looking, succulent dishes under time pressure. The need of the show determines the specific talent they try to find.
Take “Top Chef,” for example. The ultimate winner gets a big cash prize. Judging is based on the quality and originality of the dishes. It’s a true cooking contest.
On “Hell’s Kitchen,” the situation is different. Gordon Ramsey offers the job of executive chef at one of his restaurants as the big prize. So he looks for leadership ability and at how well contestants function in the high-pressure atmosphere of a restaurant kitchen.
The Food Network uses their show to find someone to host a television cooking show. That’s why they call the show, “The Next Food Network Star.” Being a good cook is important. But on-camera presence, a distinct “point of view,” and the ability to connect with an audience are just as important.
All the contestants on all of these shows are talented cooks. But at the end of the process the winner of each show will be different from the others.
You can’t hire just “talent.” It must be a specific talent. The context and culture of your organization determine exactly what that talent is.
point very cleverly made…