Talent Sustainability: Frameworks and Tools for

Developing Organizational Capacity

Center Connection- Austin, TX

Richard Walsh
Senior Faculty & Executive Coach

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Number of more jobs available then people

to fill them because of retiring Baby Boomers.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Percentage of students graduating with

science and engineering degrees in the
United States, Germany, and Japan
is in the single digits.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

The global war for talent is fierce and growing

fiercer. In our view, global companies are
undergoing a transition in how people are
valued. Once thought primarily in terms of cost,
people in successful global companies are
valued as rich sources of talent, skill and
diversity, which are critical to the success of
the enterprise.
Price Waterhouse Coopers
10th Annual Global CEO Survey

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

1. Succession Planning
2. Providing leaders with the skills
they need to be successful

Biggest Human Capital Challenges of the Future

3. Recruiting & Selecting talented
employees to fill positions
4. Engaging & Retaining
Talented Employees

5
Source: SHRM Foundation 2007

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Aligning Succession Management with

the organizations talent management
systems and practices.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Talent Management
The work of designing and implementing the
strategies, culture, systems and processes needed
for talent sustainability.

Talent Sustainability
Talent sustainability is an organizations ability to
continuously attract, develop, and retain people with
the capabilities and commitment needed for current
and future organizational success.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Strategy
Culture

 2007 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Knowledge
Management

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

Reward &
Recognition

Learning &
Development

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

2007 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Metrics

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo m
ym en
en t &
t

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

Reward &
Recognition

Talent
Sustainability

Learning &
Development

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic f ic e n
rit nti opm ssio
C
l
e
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g
g
cin itin
r
u ru
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

2007 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Metrics

the organizations strategy,

continuously developing that

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

Rewards &
Recognition

Talent Identifying what type of talent

is most critical to implementing
Sustainability
talent, and moving it into roles
where it is most needed.

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

Learning &
ntt
Development
leen n, ,
Taal toion t,,
all T ati nnt
icca ifiicca mee onn
riiti tif pm siio
CCr enn lop sss
IIdde vveel cccee
e
D e SSuu
D
&&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Metrics

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
cr
CreatingSoopportunities
e
R

for

capabilities and connections with

Talent
others in the organization
in order
Sustainability
to improve job performance,

Learning &
Learning
&
Development
Development

Competency
Development &
Deployment

employees to enhance their

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

career advancement,
an or
ag ma performance.
organizational
em nc
en e
t
Knowledge
Management

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

P
organizational
commitment, and
M erf

Metrics

Metrics

needed in employees and

Talentusing the resulting competency

models across talent
Sustainability

Knowledge
Management

C
o
D R mp
Re eM e
D veeclo woad ten
ep ogp rdel cy
lo nmi e &
ym tion
en nt &
t

processes.

Metrics

Reward &
Recognition

Delineating the competencies

Learning &
Development

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Metrics

Learning &
Development

Rewards &
Recognition

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Developing and making

Talent
accessible the shared
Sustainability
knowledge, expertise,

across the organization.

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

and collective wisdom

Metrics

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

PP
MM eerrffo
aann o rm
aagg aa
e m nncc
e ee
ntt

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

performance
ng ing
iSetting
c
t
r
i
u standards,
monitoring
ru
So ec
R employee performance,
providing feedback and
support for performance
improvement,
and exiting
Talent
employees
who cannot
Sustainability
meet standards.

Learning &
Development

Rewards &
Recognition

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Metrics

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

rewards to align employee

behaviors
and activities
Talent
with
organizational
Sustainability
strategies and to build a

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

P
committed workforce.
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t
Knowledge
Management

Learning &
Development

Reward &
Competency
Recognition&
Development
Deployment

Using formal and informal

Metrics

Metrics

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

Developing reliable
sourcesTalent
of talent for the
Sustainability
organization
and
practices for attracting
that talent to the
organization.

Learning &
Development

Reward &
Recognition

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g
n g
cci iitin
r
r
ouu ccrruu
o
S
S ee
RR

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Metrics
t

talented employees are critical for

organizational success, who are
Talent
directly involved in talent
Sustainability
management work, and who ensure
C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

that their organization has effective

talent management practices in place.
Knowledge
Management

Metrics

Rewards &
Recognition

Senior executives who believe that

Learning &
Development

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Executive
Commitment &
Commitment
Engagement
Engagement

How engaged and committed

are YOUR senior executives?

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

20

Percentage of time executives spend

engaging in talent management activities
relative to other executive responsibilities.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

21

Orchestrators
Talent Orchestration
represents a senior
executives ability and
personal involvement in
leading talent
management processes
and outcomes to ensure
the sustainable utilization
of human capital assets.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

22

Instructions: Use the following rating scale to respond to each item:

1=STRONGLY DISAGREE
4=slightly agree
2=Disagree
5=Agree
3=slightly disagree
6=STRONGLY AGREE

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

23

O r g a n iz a tio a n l T a le n t M a n a g e m e n t E ffo r ts

% A g r e e m e n t ( A g r e e & S t r o n g ly A g r e e )
1

1.

T h e B o a r d h a s id e n t if ie d t a l e n t m a n a g e m e n t a s a t o p
p r io r ity .

7 0 .2 %
2

2.

T h e C E O , o r m o s t s e n io r e x e c u t i v e , a n d t o p m a n a g e m e n t
t e a m a r e c o m m i t t e d t o t a le n t m a n a g e m e n t .

7 5 .0 %
3

3.

T h e C E O , o r m o s t s e n io r e x e c u t i v e , a n d t o p m a n a g e m e n t
t e a m in v e s t t h e ir t im e i n t a le n t m a n a g e m e n t .

6 1 .4 %
4

4.

D e v e l o p in g t a le n t i s a s h a r e d r e s p o n s ib ili t y b e t w e e n
e x e c u t iv e s , h u m a n r e s o u r c e s , a n d li n e m a n a g e r s .

8 3 .7 %
5

5.

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n s t a le n t d e v e l o p m e n t p r a c t i c e s a r e d ir e c t ly
li n k e d t o b u s in e s s s t r a t e g y .

5 8 .1 %
6

6.

T h e r e is a c l e a r a n d c o m p e lli n g r e a s o n f o r t a le n t e d
in d i v i d u a ls t o j o in t h e o r g a n iz a t io n .

6 4 .7 %
7

7.

T h e r e is a c l e a r a n d c o m p e lli n g r e a s o n f o r t a le n t e d
in d i v i d u a ls t o s t a y in t h e o r g a n i z a t io n .

6 8 .5 %
8

8.

F o r m a l p e r f o r m a n c e m a n a g e m e n t p r o c e s s e s a r e in p la c e t o
id e n t if y a n d r e v ie w t h e o r g a n iz a t io n s t o p t a le n t .

6 9 .6 %
9

9.

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n p r o v id e s f o r m a l d e v e lo p m e n t o p p o r t u n it ie s
t o s u p p o r t e m p lo y e e s .

6 9 .5 %
10

10.

11.

12.

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n c h a lle n g e s h i g h p o t e n t ia l e m p lo y e e s w it h
d e v e lo p m e n t a l a s s i g n m e n t s , r o le r o t a t i o n s , a n d / o r c r o s s
f u n c t io n a l e x p e r ie n c e s .
T h e o r g a n iz a t io n h a s id e n t if i e d a n d d if f e r e n t ia t e d t h e c r i t ic a l
c o m p e t e n c ie s n e e d e d f o r t r a n s it io n in g i n t o e a c h l e v e l o f
m a n a g e m e n t / le a d e r s h ip r e s p o n s ib ili t y .

4 6 .7 %
11

3 2 .0 %
12

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n e f f e c t i v e ly m e a s u r e s t h e im p a c t o f it s t a le n t
m a n a g e m e n t in i t ia t iv e s .

1 7 .5 %
13

13.

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n s r e c o g n it i o n a n d r e w a r d s y s t e m s
e n c o u r a g e ta le n t m a n a g e m e n t .

3 6 .9 %
14

14.

15.

T h e C E O , o r m o s t s e n io r e x e c u t i v e , a n d t o p m a n a g e m e n t
t e a m e n c o u r a g e s l e a d e r s t o s h a r e t a le n t a c r o s s t h e
o r g a n iz a t i o n .

5 0 .0 %
15

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n i s t r a n s p a r e n t i n p r o v id in g i n f o r m a t io n
a b o u t s u c c e s s io n p la n s .

1 8 .4 %
16

16.

T h e o r g a n iz a t io n h a s a c u lt u r e o f d e v e lo p m e n t a n d g r o w t h
f o r e m p lo y e e s .

4 6 .2 %
17

17.

M e n t o r s a n d / o r c o a c h e s f o r m a lly w o r k w i t h h ig h p o t e n t ia l
e m p l o y e e s in t h e o r g a n iz a t i o n .

2 6 .7 %
1 5 .0 %
18

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

24

Orchestrators In Action

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

25

E x e c u t iv e T a le n t M a n a g e m e n t E f fo r ts
18.

% A g r e e m e n t ( A g r e e & S tr o n g ly A g r e e )
1

I a m h e ld p e r s o n a lly a c c o u n ta b le fo r d e v e lo p in g ta le n t in m y
o r g a n iz a tio n .

5 2 .7 %
2

19.

8 2 .0 %

I a m d ir e c tly in v o lv e d in id e n tify in g ta le n t in m y o r g a n iz a tio n .

3

20.

I a m a c tiv e ly in v o lv e d in r e v ie w in g th e p r o g r e s s o f h ig h
p o te n tia l e m p lo y e e s .

7 1 .2 %
4

21.

5 0 .0 %

T h e r e is a t le a s t o n e s u c c e s s o r id e n tifie d fo r m y p o s itio n .
5

22.

I p r o v id e d e v e lo p m e n ta l o p p o r tu n itie s to h ig h p o te n tia l
e m p lo y e e s .

23.

I u s e s tr e tc h a s s ig n m e n ts , a c tio n le a r n in g , o r r e a l life c a s e
s tu d ie s to d e v e lo p e m p lo y e e s .

7 0 .1 %
6

5 0 .0 %
7

24.

7 7 .7 %

I h e lp e m p lo y e e s le a r n fr o m th e ir m is ta k e s .
8

25.

I a m fo r m a lly m e n to r in g a t le a s t o n e h ig h p o te n tia l
e m p lo y e e .

26.

I p r o v id e o n g o in g d e v e lo p m e n ta l f e e d b a c k to im p r o v e
e m p lo y e e p e r fo r m a n c e .

5 0 .0 %
9

7 1 .2 %
10

27.

I b e lie v e th a t d e v e lo p in g ta le n t w ill le a d to im p r o v e d
o r g a n iz a tio n a l p e r f o r m a n c e .

9 7 .8 %
11

28.

6 3 .6 %

I h o ld m y d ir e c t r e p o r ts a c c o u n ta b le fo r ta le n t m a n a g e m e n t.
12

29.

M y d ir e c t r e p o r ts r e g u la r ly e v a lu a te th e ir ta le n t.

30.

M y d ir e c t r e p o r ts h a v e id e n tifie d a t le a s t o n e h ig h p o te n tia l
e m p lo y e e .

31.

M y d ir e c t r e p o r ts a r e m e n to r in g a t le a s t o n e h ig h p o te n tia l
e m p lo y e e .

32.

M y d ir e c t r e p o r ts m a k e fo r m a l r e c o m m e n d a tio n s to m e
a b o u t th e ir h ig h p o te n tia l e m p lo y e e s .

6 1 .9 %
13

6 5 .8 %
14

3 4 .8 %
15

5 3 .3 %
1 5 .0 %
16

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

26

 2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

27

Accelerators
Talent Acceleration
represents a senior
human resource,
training and
development, or
organizational
development
executives ability and
personal involvement in
driving talent
management processes
and outcomes to ensure
the sustainable
utilization of human
capital assets.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

28

Accelerators
In addition to improving
the quality of the talent
and leadership,
reducing the readiness
to lead cycle time, and
improving people
processes, talent
acceleration involves
alignment of people
systems and processes
and influencing critical
outcomes in order to
achieve talent
sustainability.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

29

Rating Instructions
Thinking about yourself as a people executive please rate the extent to which you agree with the
following statements. Please put an X in the one box that best represents your level of agreement
Rating Scale
SD=STRONGLY DISAGREE
D=Disagree
sd=slightly disagree
sa=slightly agree
A=Agree
SA=STRONGLY AGREE

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

30

Help managers get a clear

understanding of who their critical talent is and why
Assessing executive talent and emerging talent

Accelerators In Action
High potential talent can be found on
key position succession plans
The organizations critical roles have been identified
and defined, and successor candidates are being
actively developed for each critical role
2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

31

Are Accelerators positioned to optimally facilitate the

assessment of critical talent needed for the business?
Are the critical talent we have identified the right
talent based on the changes that are going on
with the organization?

Being a Strategic Influencer

I Influence the executive team to
link talent to business strategy.
I have engaged at least one senior leader in a
conversation about how they are impacting
the organizations talent management process.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

32

Talent Acceleration
Engaging in Strategic Thinking

SWOT Analysis
Assessing Where We Are
Strengths: What internal capabilities or assets give the organization a competitive
advantage? In what ways does the organization serve its key internal and external
stakeholders?
Weaknesses: What internal capabilities or assets is the organization relatively ineffective or
inefficient at performing or possessing, or so limited in capacity as to put it at a competitive
disadvantage? In what ways does the organization fall short in serving key internal and
external stakeholders?
Opportunities: What conditions or possible future conditions in the external environment
might give the organization a competitive advantage and enhance achievement of its vision if
taken advantage of?
Threats: What conditions or possible future conditions in the external environment might put
the organization at a competitive disadvantage and inhibit achievement of its vision if steps
are not taken to minimize their impact?

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

33

Someone two levels senior to you

Someone from a different functional area
Someone with a reputation for creative business thinking
A manager with a reputation for being solid and level headed

SWOT Conversations
What were the points of agreement?
What were the points of disagreement?
What did you learn from your own insight and
appreciation for your organizations strategic situation?

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

34

How do YOUR line managers

influence the development of talent?

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

35

88% of identified high potentials believe they are

actively identifying and developing talent.

75% of leaders not formally identified

as high potentials believe they are actively
identifying and developing talent.

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

36

Influencers
A View from the Pipe
How does it feel to be formally identified as a high potential?

Coach

Teacher

Guide

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

37

Critical Talent
Talent
High Potential Talent

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

38

Critical Talent
Individuals in critical positions who have the potential to
make the most significant impact to the current
and future performance of the organization.

Talent
Individuals who have the capability to make a
significant difference to the current and
future performance of the organization.

High Potential Talent

An employee who has been assessed as having the ability,
organizational commitment, and motivation to rise to and
succeed in more senior positions in the organization.
2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

39

Talent

A View from the Pipe

How does it feel to be formally identified as a high potential?

I appreciate the recognition but am a bit concerned about my

ability to prove myself.
I dont really deserve the honor.
It is very gratifying and humbling at the same time. It also
strengthens my dedication to the company as it demonstrates
its interest in me.
Extremely complimentary but stressful at the same time.
At first it made me proud that someone noticed my potential.
Then quite frankly, it made me a little scared. Now what is
expected of me?
2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

40

Talent
A View from the Pipe
How does it feel not to be formally identified as a high potential?

A little left out. I am already pretty high up in the organization.

If my improvement gets me promoted, great. If not, thats also
ok.
The fact that I have been told that I am a high potential team
member but not recognized formally makes me question if what
I have been told is accurate or just an underhanded way to
keep me striving for something unattainable.
Even though I am told that I am in the succession plan and
considered high potential, no one can outline the next steps
associated with being this person. As time passes, I feel as
though they are giving me lip service to retain my assets.
2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

41

Role of the Executive

Role of Line Managers

Critical Roles in Talent Sustainablity
Talent Influencer

Role of the
People Executive

2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

42

Metrics

nt
le n,
Ta tio t,
al a n
ic fic me ion
r it t i
C en lop ss
Id ve cce
e
D Su
&

Learning &
Development

Reward &
Recognition

&
g g
n
i
rc uitin
u
r
So ec
R

Executive
Commitment &
Engagement

Knowledge
Management

Metrics

P
M erfo
an r
ag ma
em nc
en e
t

C
om
D
ev M pe
D elo od ten
ep p el c y
lo me
ym n
en t &
t

Talent
What will be YOUR
Talent Legacy?
Sustainability

2007 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Talent Sustainability: Frameworks and Tools for

Developing Organizational Capacity
Richard Walsh
Senior Faculty & Executive Coach
One Leadership Place
Greensboro, NC 27358
01.336.286.4581

Center Connection- Austin, TX

Roland Smith
Senior Faculty
850 Leader Way
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
01.719.329.7895
2008 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

44