Shine your light: using talent management as a driver for business success

Abstract

Purpose

Emphasises the close links between how a company manages its talent and lasting business success.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper aims to argue the case for effective talent‐management policies and practices. It also aims to describe the case for the Life Alignment Curve®, which is a process of change that high achievers can go through, learning more each time, so they can reposition themselves for the next interesting challenge.

Findings

The paper reveals that, to make the best of talent at all levels of an organization: the working culture needs to promote success behaviors; managers need to understand their role as talent scout; and high performers need to be given their head and supported to deliver innovative solutions.

Practical implications

The paper warns organizations against taking great technicians, accountants or sales people out of what they do well, to reward them with a management job they cannot do or do not want to do. It argues that these reluctant managers no longer deliver the exceptional results that delighted them and their boss, leave talented people to languish or move to a better manager elsewhere and ignore under performance, as this tough job is beyond their people skills, so they do not even try.

Originality/value

The paper warns against allowing the practicalities of the business to take over, especially in challenging times, so that people development goes on to the back burner, affecting performance management, reducing creativity and increasing recruitment costs.

Citation

Leary‐Joyce, J. (2009), "Shine your light: using talent management as a driver for business success", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 17 No. 7, pp. 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730910996572