I also really enjoyed the Churchill Club event on the Power of Pull. In addition to Mark’s remarks about passion, I found myself really taken by a comment made near the end.
The comment was about the idea that companies spend their energy attempting to attract-develop-retain talent.
In fact, that is typically how a Talent Management lifecycle is described.
When you look at what companies say vs. what they actually do, you quickly notice that more energy is spent on attracting and retention of talent vs. development and in some sense this is a bit bass-ackward.
If, however, you focus more energy on developing people, the rest will get a lot easier.
If you are a manager this is even more applicable to your situation. When you focus your efforts on developing your team to be more effective and better able to leverage their own strengths, yours will be a team that others want to join.
I would also note, that a great way to help your own team develop is to lead by example.
Yes, I said it — if you are working to grow your own abilities and impact for the company, you are helping your team follow your lead, and thus supporting your company’s Talent initiatives.
Good, huh? This is why I make the big bucks.
Meg Bear 