Why You Need to Be a Talent Builder
As a business leader, you may not consider yourself a talent builder, but it may become an increasingly important function.
Not too long ago, individuals would come to work looking for a nice pension and job security. Now a growing number of individuals who join the workforce are looking for more than money; they are looking for purpose and the ability to make a contribution. They want to be respected by their colleagues and management.
Today’s career path for those joining the workforce includes many stops along the way. Each career stop or new job position is an opportunity to learn new skills and add to their work capabilities.
Identify Hidden Talents
When looking for talent to join your firm, consider not only how current employees can contribute to the bottom line, but how you, as a business leader, can contribute to their career paths. You know that employees are the most important asset of your organization; therefore, leveraging the potential of these individuals can greatly enhance your business’s competitiveness.
If you have employees reporting to you, consider how taking advantage of a broader range of talent can help you meet your goals. Teams can be reconfigured to take advantage of newly identified talents and then tackle problems in different and innovative ways. As you spend time with your employees, learning more about their past experiences and backgrounds, you might be surprised at the amount of talent that is underutilized.
When we work with our business clients or individuals in transition, we engage in in-depth inquiries about hidden skills and talents they or their employees may have to share. We take the time to complete personality, learning style, and personal interest assessments to uncover hidden talents, abilities, and skills. In every case we find that people do not recognize many of the talents they can incorporate in new, changing situations.
Become a Talent Builder
Think of yourself as a talent builder coordinating and expanding the capabilities staff members bring to work. Such a perspective allows the same staff to reframe situations, come up with new ideas, and provide different solution opportunities for your business. You can build on different talents to provide new synergy.
Get to know your employees and discover what skill sets can be expanded and strengthened to build better quality results. How can these skills be used in team work? How can these talents be developed through seminars, workshops, and other professional development tools?
For example, if you have a worker who is excellent at resolving personality conflicts, how could you utilize this skill in a team project situation? How can writing skills, photography skills, past project management experiences, and teaching skills be useful in your workplace today?
Build on those talents and notice how your employees show increased engagement in their work. There is talent out there that many employees keep hidden because no one's bothered to ask. What talent treasure is left untapped in your organization?
As a talent builder, you can expand your company's assets and maintain a competitive edge.
