Talent Maturity is a Journey – Not a Level

Tim Sacket reminded us of an interesting way the talent management industry approaches the convention and conference season. Today, Tim’s article discussed how vendors and organizers of conferences want us to believe that the top 1% of companies are doing things right. The rest of us are unworthy – and the way to fix it is to attend the conference, listen to the advice, and buy the new products.

One way they do it is with maturity levels. If you are a talent management professional or HR leader, you are probably well aware of the various talent and learning models in the industry.

We like the realistic approach used in Bersin by Deloitte’s New Talent Management Maturity Model. We can see why we should aspire to Level 4 (Inclusive Talent System) where we have a well-developed strategy, but over 70% of us are at Levels 1 and 2.

Our point is you are where you are, and right where you should be. Following Bersin’s advice, we can take a step by step approach to talent development, thinking of it as a journey that will never end. There will always be a next level.

The Real Maturity Difference is Cultural

Organizations at levels 3 and 4 perform better than those at lower levels because their people are more engaged and more aligned to the business strategy. The way people perform has a financial impact.

Bersin defines the difference between the lower and upper levels as a mindset. Companies in the lower levels see “employees as a cost.” Those at the higher levels see “talent as an asset.”^[1]

In our view, the issue is not talent management activities, but organizational culture. Leaders’ idea of how people contribute to the business shapes everything they do, which creates the culture.

The Challenge and the Journey

If you wanted a big challenge, a mountain to climb – here it is.

How you handle it depends on your relationships, but in almost every case, what it takes is a demonstration of value. You need to show the impact of talent on the business.

Our recommended approach, as we outlined in our e-book Building Your Business Case for Human Capital Management Initiatives, is to form alliances with line-of-business leaders to plan, implement, and measure the impact of a small, controlled initiative on the business.

Line-of-business managers own key performance indicators and will welcome improvement in results. There are other, smaller functions with leaders responsible for results. These leaders are the ones who benefit if you can recommend a change that improves their metrics. With the right approach, it may be easier than you think.

• Start a conversation about their performance indicators and the impact a small change could have. It may take time for them to warm up to the idea, but gentle persistence will get things started. A good place to start might be new employee turnover you could improve with candidate assessments or onboarding.
• Engage an executive sponsor – someone in the C-suite or connected to it. Work with the executive for guidance on how to present the story when it is time to tell it.
• Collaborate with the leader to design the intervention. The manager will handle the execution. You will take the role of design consultant.
• Agree on measures. In the case of new employee turnover, you have the ratio, but you will need to quantify the financial impact on the business within the scope of your initiative. You need hard data, but don’t forget to include measurable intangibles like the impact on current employees.
• Tell the story. Make your line-of-business leader the hero of the story, and the talented people the actors. Make the story about people and what they did differently and how it impacted the business in financial terms.

A small, successful venture will lead to more successful results. Build on your success with persistence. It may take a long time, but eventually, attitudes will change.

Welcome to the next level.

References:

1. What Works® Brief: “A New Vision of Talent Management Maturity.” Bersin by Deloitte. May 5, 2016.