Embracing a Talent Mindset

In a landmark study conducted by McKinsey & Company (and summarized in the book The War For Talent), it was discovered that the single greatest distinction of successful companies was the embracement of a “talent mindset” by senior leaders throughout the organization.

In this study, the authors state:

A talent mindset is the deep-seated belief that having better talent at all levels is how you outperform your competitors. It's the belief that better talent is a critical source of competitive advantage. It's the recognition that it is better talent that pulls all the other performance levers.

According to Harvard Business Press, executive coaching can do just that. Good coaching can both enhance employees’ professional development through personal growth as well as alter negative behaviors that hinder leaders’ abilities to fulfill their responsibilities. Executive leadership coaching can help organizations develop employee’s skills, overcome performance problems, increase productivity, create promotable subordinates, improve retention and foster a positive work environment or culture.

Growing and flourishing employees are central to the success of every organization. Whether an organization realizes it or not, fully engaged and developed employees are a company's strongest asset and prove to be the single greatest determinant of an organization’s success. It is all too easy for organizational leaders to spend the majority of their time, attention and resources focusing on the real external challenges and opportunities of their business while neglecting or minimizing the opportunities to invest in, and develop, the ones who are expected to meet those challenges and opportunities… their people.

What about you and your organization? If you are a leader within an organization, what are you doing to embrace a talent mindset and invest into the development and flourishing of your people?

Do you give your senior-most leaders a dedicated advocate who can come alongside them and provide an objective and honest sounding board to help them succeed even more than they already have? Do you give high performers accelerated development opportunities and specialized development resources (including but not limited to professional coaching)?

What could your highest performers accomplish if they had someone committed to working with them to identify and change areas of needed growth as well as develop and leverage areas of great strength? What about those who are promotable but need a little extra input and attention to get them to the next level? What benefits would be gained from a morale and performance standpoint if employees knew that they were being developed both professionally and personally?

If embracing a “talent mindset” and developing your people is something of interest to you, please contact Surgent Coaching to discuss our corporate coaching services. We would look forward to helping you take the next step in growing your business by investing in your greatest asset… your people.