Purposeful Talent Development: Why do my efforts feel scattered?

Many organizations approach their talent development efforts by randomly choosing a few focus areas for the next quarter or year. Some choose to have everyone read and study the advice of a good business book. Others choose a few learning courses and push them out to all staff.

And those aren’t bad things to do.

But I bet if you asked the people leaders of organizations that approach talent development this way how their efforts are going, they may say they feel rather scattered. Some good new behaviors are being developed, but the behaviors aren’t sticky—people don’t continue to demonstrate those good new behaviors in the long term; the behaviors don’t seem to make organizational teams stronger and; in the final analysis, what’s learned doesn’t drive teams and the larger organization to deliver on its mission and vision.

What’s Wrong?

For best results for talent development, leaders need to understand what I call their “organizational insight.” That means getting to know your credit union from your people’s eyes, Asking your team what behaviors they know drive success—for them individually, for teams and for the whole organization. Leaders need to ask what team members see within the credit union that could be done better. They need to help their staff understand how to be a leader, not by title but by action.

 

continue reading »