Most of our objectives revolve around “talent”. We are asked to identify it, to develop it, to retain it… But what is talent? Talent for what? What variables indicate talent?
The first step in reaching our goal is to help our internal or external client define exactly the talent indicators, which vary depending on the characteristics of each organization and each position.
If we understand talent as everything that generates value, its indicators can be: training, experience, languages, knowledge, results, etc. But what makes the difference between some professionals and others is the “how” they generate that value.
Defining a behavior profile that optimizes the contribution in each position is fundamental to know what we call talent and will be the best basis to make a good recruitment process, identify potential or areas of development, in short, to achieve our objectives.
When we are asked to fill a position, the information they provide is often insufficient. They usually provide us with the requirements of training, experience and some characteristic, for example, decisive, results-oriented and with leadership skills. But what do we call decisive? How do we want it to make decisions? What style of leadership do we need exactly? How do we want him or her to achieve results?
In these cases, we can help our client to assess different aspects with various behavioral options so that he or she can prioritize and choose 1 or 2 of them. For example:
Decision making.
- Taking risks
- Previous detailed analysis
- Based on precedents
- Intuitively
Orientation.
- To objectives
- To tasks
- To processes
Results obtention.
- Following the established methods
- Establishing your own methods
- Constantly and proven
- Improvising
Reaction to pressure.
- To keep the calm and the rhythm
- To focus on devising new alternatives
- That focuses on maintaining quality
- To accelerate the rhythm
We could continue with leadership style, teamwork, commercial style, conflict management, communication style… All those aspects that we consider key to add value.
We will not find professionals who are oriented with the same intensity to the goals, people, tasks and processes. Similarly, if we are looking for a dynamic, innovative, risky and intuitive professional, we cannot also ask for one who is analytical, calculating, slow and forward-thinking. Perhaps it can be in a punctual way, but it is not his habitual style of behaviour.
The key is to keep in mind that defining talent means, among other things, choosing one style of behaviour and renouncing others.
Ángeles Gris
People Performance Spain
