Leading Effectively e-Newsletter - November 2008 Issue

MUSINGS: A Provocative Proposition

What if the war for talent was replaced with a commitment to growing skills and capacities in people - even knowing that they will be leaving to work elsewhere?

CCL's Kim Lafferty looks at trends in talent development and offers a provocative proposition:

"Imagine if we could see talent development as a core requirement of all organizations' contribution to the global economy. What if we let go of the idea of each organization developing and hoarding talent for itself? What if development was valued for the skills and capacity it creates - even if that talent leaves our organization?"

"The truth is that, as organizations, we can't control our people or decide how long they stay with the company," says Lafferty. "We need to acknowledge and accept that good people will move on and have an appetite for new learning opportunities".

"Maybe we should focus on developing all people and, in fact, encourage them to think about spending three to five years in our organizations. During that time they give us something of value, and they learn in the process."

"When they move on, they'll have new development opportunities and experiences. What if we actively manage their careers across organizational boundaries and encourage them to return later in their career, bringing additional skills and wisdom back into our organization?"

MUSINGS is an occasional feature in Leading Effectively in which we share brief reflections of CCL staff, alumni and friends.