Talent management - working with talents

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We are currently working on a smaller "talent management" project focused on young doctors at a Czech teaching hospital. Such a challenge must bring a great desire to fight the windmills, supported in particular by the strong critical thinking and assertiveness of the German hunting terrier. Why are these qualities good? To be able to say openly what you think and to disrupt the hegemony of the medical caste. It is said that doctors cannot be wrong and do not have to behave empathetically at all. The fact that the mobbing of leading doctors also appeared at this workplace in 2021 may seem like a pure fabrication of an unduly criticized subordinate. Unfortunately, it is a reality.

At the beginning, it is important to think carefully about where you want to go and which way you will go. There are basically two options, namely radical change vs. evolution.

I would suggest radical change in organizations where the situation is exacerbated - change management also calls it a hot platform for change. The TOP-DOWN procedure is usually used. I would certainly start with the question 'Who would you lay off today if you had to reduce staff costs by 20%'?

If you run a start-up, I would recommend following the path of talent management and talent concentration, which is also described in the book "Rule of No Rules" by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer.

Evolution as a way to successful talent management is certainly less painful, but on the other hand a lengthy job for several years. I would like to point out here that this should be guided by the leadership and principles of the personal role model.

In both options, however, I would build on the following success factors for working with talent:

Openness of communication - behind this factor are many other tools such as the already mentioned assertiveness, critical thinking, but also rules such as "Do not try to please the boss", "Management unity", "Delegation based on strengths", "Company values", "Law of attraction", and many more. I've written about most of these tools and rules in previous articles.
Awareness - For many years, I have come to believe that Viktor Frankl is right to say that the most important factor that sets us apart in the animal kingdom is awareness. And we should make full use of that. Today, however, I also know that this is especially enough for the application of process management. However, this is not enough in creative work or project management. Today, we are increasingly moving in an unpredictable environment, where processes bind us more than they help. Today, leaders are increasingly using the winged phrase: "Colleagues, we are going into a project in which we do not know all the procedures and you are the right people who will solve them together at the right time."
Judgment - if you really choose "category A people" according to the strengths of personality, suitability according to Belbin's Team Roles methodology, you pay them above average, then know that it will definitely affect quality and innovation. And yes, you pay them mainly for the common sense that the moment they face a new situation, they will be able and motivated to do everything that is currently possible for the successful fulfillment of the project goal.
Honesty - in societies that boast of integrity as one of their "core" values, I often see that it's just nicely written somewhere, but in reality people are transformed and overwhelmed by their hypocrisy based on nepotism, fear of their status, flattery of superiors… Throw away all the masks and be yourself! Jan Mühlfeit managed the European part of Microsoft on the basis of the principles of concentrated talent management and encouraged people with a meta sentence: Be more of what you really are!

Lecturer CeMS, Martin Zibrín