Talent Management

"PEOPLE ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET.” “YOU CAN ONLY MANAGE WHAT YOU MEASURE.”

Most executives would readily subscribe to these time-honored maxims, but few put either into practice. Fewer still put both into practice, and therein lies the opportunity. Effective people management is required for building and sustaining competitive advantage, and effective talent measurement is a critical tool for effective people management. In fact, high-performing companies tend to be better at talent management and measurement than other organizations.

Service	Description	Typical Application
Individual level	We develop algorithms based on empirical data to predict the individuals' performance in various roles, now and in the future.	Integrated individual profiles Matching with current and future roles Engagement and wellness profiles
Group level	We determine, from empirical data, which people related variables distinguish teams that are performing well from teams that are not.	Impact of leadership style on team Impact of member profiles on team Characteristics of successful teams
Organisation level	We determine, from empirical data, the people related variables that make the most significant contribution to our clients' organizational performance objectives.	"Health" of talent pipeline, including benchmarks Impact of interventions on performance People balance sheets

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills

In the world of work, “hard skills” are technical or administrative procedures related to an organization’s core business.

By contrast, “soft skills” (also called “people skills”) are typically hard to observe, quantify and measure. They have to do with how people relate to each other: communicating, listening, engaging in dialogue, giving feedback, cooperating as a team member, solving problems, contributing in meetings and resolving conflict.

Obviously, people come to organizations with interpersonal behavior patterns already thoroughly ingrained, and they weren’t learnt in a classroom. They observe how the people around them do things, they experiment, and they stick with what works for them. So everyone ends up with a unique portfolio of people skills; some behaviors may be effective, but others cause problems.

Ensuring Success

The most useful perspective on people skills training is that it’s an essential first step—a necessary“introduction” to the right way of doing things. After that, ongoing reinforcement of desired behaviors has to be available.