Leadership Development

In my opinion, the best leadership development programs are sponsored by the organizations top dogs (General Managers, Executives, etc.), yet they are managed by HR. Typically, HR has been schooled in the technical aspects of training and development, which attributes to learning opportunities that target development.  Managing this function also allows them to tie training and development into various aspects of the performance management initiatives.  For instance, another function HR is responsible for is the employment of performance reviews.  Holding responsibility for both functions would produce a natural tie to one another.  It may look something like this: As HR sets forth to initiate the performance review cycle they would tie training and development initiatives into various stages of that process.  

Yet, on the other hand, when it comes to maximizing the training and development outcomes, top leaders are needed.  They establish a level of importance to the program HR cannot.  They hold credibility for knowing and understanding the operation of the business and what is needed to advance into top positions.  They are also important for coaching, evaluating and providing feedback in areas the employee is developing in or working on. The partnership between HR and a company’s top dog hold real potential for creating a training and development program that not only offers learning opportunities that increase skills and provide opportunities for advancement, but they contribute to real possibilities for producing a credible program that is valued by all who are involved.

Some years ago, I had an opportunity to be a part of crafting a training and development program for a group of leaders.  Although the leaders involved in this program expressed enjoyment and satisfaction of the opportunities presented, their approach and increased desire to learn as well as willingness to apply their learning came as a direct result of the role their Manager and the General Manager placed on the opportunity.  Through the assistance of HR, the top dogs tied the individual development opportunities to the performance evaluation process, pay increases, and promotions.  The partnership was a great example of what a team can accomplish.

Week1Assign1 - Recruiting Talent

Retaining a good pool of recruits is best achieved through a diverse market strategy (Silzer, Dowell, 2010).  According to research, it would appear that referrals hold the greatest opportunity for the best recruits of all.  For instance, Ruiz (2007b) reported that, “approximately 26 percent of new hires come from employee referrals, making this the most prolific channel of all” (Silzer, Dowell, 2010, pp. 142).  I believe this is another example of how organizational leaders can join ranks with employees to generate a winning team.  Yet, there are times I would not refer a friend, family member or an acquaintance to my place of employment.

When I make a referral, in essence, I am saying to the employer that I believe the potential candidate will make a great employee and will be perfect for the job at hand.  This may not be true.  On the other hand, based on the knowledge I have of the company, I may not make the referral because I believe the candidate would be miserable at my place of employment.  Beyond this point, I would also look at the culture, leadership dynamics, work, and future opportunities that may or may not exist and evaluate the expectations of my potential referral.  Both parties have expectations and if I see that one or the other party would regret the discussion, I would not make the referral.  Additionally, pancaked in the middle of these two parties is the person making the referral:  me.  It is too easy to get squashed if all is not taken into consideration.

When looking at the pool of candidates to add to the talent pipeline we must evaluate candidates who are just entering the workforce, those who are unemployed, and those who are currently working.  Candidates who are just getting out of school typically come to the table without any work experience.   They have a good theoretical base with a mix of some practical experience.  Yet, they enter the workforce needing coaching in ways that experienced employees do not.  Many experiences are new to them, which may include a move to a new location.  This also presents further opportunities for assimilation.  Employees who are not working are in between jobs.  They typically hold experience and education.  However, their mindset may be challenged regarding the transition that was imposed on them.  Of course, every situation is different.  However, often times they are actively looking for work and searching all the channels to find a potential opportunity.  Their resume packet is up to date because they are eager to find work.  The challenge here is that because they are eager to find work they may take the wrong job because they are desperate to make money.  Finally, the recruit who is working, this person is not typically looking for work and is very busy.  This pool of candidates can be the most difficult to find and to recruit.  Offers extended to this pool of candidates are greater than the first two groups.  Also, they hold experience on the job and within the industry, which is one of the resons they are sought after.   The caution that must be made with this pool of candidates is that they may not be as versatile and flexible in making the needed psychological and behavioral shifts that are needed to adapt to a new way of doing things.  This of course, is needed as a means of adapting to a new culture.

A company I believe that does an excellent job recruiting top talent is Nike.  Their strategy appears to be vast and effective.  They are known to use several talent channels to locate the right person for the right job.  For instance, I have seen them use print media, job boards, college alliances and their own web site.  They use a scoring system in the evaluation of their resume packet that helps them identify the best suited candidates.  These are just a few of the resources they use to find their talent.  They are an organization many of us can learn from.

Silzer, R., & Dowell, B. E. (Eds.). (2010). Strategy-driven talent management: A leadership imperative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.