What’s Your Talent Management Strategy?

When I first started designing leadership development programs, my former head of HR turned me on to a Google Study about the different skills needed for leaders at different levels of the organization.

Over the years, I've kept this information handy because it’s a great way to quickly evaluate whether or not the leader is focusing on the right priorities.

One of the biggest challenges for functional or team leaders is to focus on being strategic about talent planning. They often think about how to manage their people but don’t always take time to step back, look at the big picture vision, mission and ask questions.

Here are some ideas for questions you could ask:

• Who’s on the team?

• How do they work together?

• Who (or what skills) is missing from the team?

• What’s working well and what needs to be an area of focus?

• How can I develop my team individually and together?

• What are my goals to lead well?

• What’s the succession plan for myself and the rest of the team?

Key Aspects Of A Talent Management Strategy

Identify Strengths

One of the things I often do when beginning our team development program is to take the team through the Strengths Deployment Inventory (SDI), which gives us a sense of the makeup of the team’s strengths. I use big cards that the team spreads out on the floor so they can really see the current state visually.

Later in the program (or later in the day if we’re doing a one-day offsite), I ask them to think through what strengths they need to meet the current situation and any upcoming challenges.

This exercise allows them to consider who they should lean on internally for some of these strengths. Or consider if they need to bring someone in for different projects from another team or level. Perhaps they need to create an additional role. Or maybe current team members need to build more capacity or strength in those areas.

Every leader should engage in this exercise at least once a year. And, when you have an open role, consider what strengths will most complement your team or fill in the gaps they need. Also, consider the impact of someone leaving the team - who will lend or provide the needed strengths while the role is open.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS -

• Identify skill gaps (both technical and soft skills) and match skills to roles

• Conduct individual assessments such as performance reviews, 360s, or self-assessments to gain insight into strengths and gaps.

• Develop individual and team development plans and provide developmental opportunities such as training, coaching, and mentorship programs.

Team Composition

Team composition is an equally important consideration in these instances.

For example:

• Do you have people who all love to implement but no roles that include innovation?

• Do you have people who can step in and lead projects?

• Is your team mostly quiet, detail-oriented, and cautious?

• Do you have someone who’s data-driven and loves numbers?

• Do you have someone who will hold others accountable?

Having a balanced team with the skills necessary to complete all of the team’s work, including someone who can step in for you, the leader, in certain situations is crucial.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS -

• Begin by evaluating team dynamics, communication patterns, and collaboration levels.

• What communication styles do you notice? Where do things get “lost in translation”?

• How does your team handle conflict? How can you support team members to resolve interpersonal issues?

• What can you do to encourage a more collaborative environment?

Cross-Training

Years ago, when I headed up Organizational Development for an organization, one of the leaders, B, needed surgery and was expected to require a lengthy recovery time.

Because the leaders had been cross-trained in one another’s work, B felt supported and could focus on how to set up her family during her recovery because the work would be mostly taken care of. Her peer could step into the role with minimal transition time, and her team could support their temporary new leader as he managed two roles simultaneously while she was recovering.

Cross-training is also a great way to give people experience in various functions and help them understand the entire product, service, or client lifecycle and how the parts relate to the whole.

Organizations such as Disney, Dropbox, Verizon, Harper Collins, Intel, and many others offer rotational training programs for exactly this reason. And leaders who have managed more than one function are generally strong candidates because they acquire diverse skills, build flexibility and adaptability, have enhanced problem-solving skills, and know how to promote teamwork and collaboration.

Cross-training also promotes empathy as team members enhance their understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities.

Review and Adjust

Your team management strategy isn’t a one-and-done thing. We suggest using regular check-ins and performance metrics to assess improvements. If there are people who continually underperform or fail to meet expectations, address the issues promptly through coaching, giving feedback, or performance improvement plans.

It’s also important to celebrate both individual and team accomplishments and milestones. We all love to feel appreciated and recognized for our hard work. Finally, don’t forget to regularly seek feedback from your team and encourage them to share their perspectives on team dynamics, effectiveness, and overall collaboration.

If you’ve identified team development as an area of focus, we invite you to check out Lead Bee’s Team Development Program. This 6-month program will give your team the knowledge, skills and practical experience to succeed together.