Greatly talented people impact a company such that the business performs at a level it otherwise wouldn’t.

The process of selecting, attracting, developing and keeping outstanding talent can no longer be considered just a routine goal for a company. If we take seriously recent warnings coming from sources such as The Economist magazine (“The Search for Talent,” Oct. 7, 2006)  and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, then a global war for talent has been raging for at least two years. And, due to demographics by country, demand for truly superior talent will continue to outstrip supply.

Any rote pronouncements from the past about the importance of people must be elevated to the status of strategic imperative, and fast. Let’s begin by confirming what separates talent that truly stands out from that which doesn’t.

Greatly talented people impact a company such that the business performs at a level it otherwise wouldn’t. Consider the highest level of “impact talent” as “leadership stars.” This group is easily recognizable. These people not only set high expectations for all – starting with themselves – they tend to raise the bar as interim goals are accomplished. Surrounding themselves with excellence in others, they bring out the best in everyone. The most differentiating trait of all is that these people equate performance with results and impact, rather than effort and good intentions. Hence, leadership stars seek out accountability, discourage “excusitis” and instill the same values in others. They are top management candidates.

A second impact category in high-performing companies is the “functional experts.” These individuals are exceptionally smart and very good at what they do. Often the gatekeepers, they bring new knowledge and expertise into the business, thus preventing competitive obsolescence. Possessing strong work ethics, functional experts can be perfectionists, which often restricts their abilities to develop subordinates or see the bigger picture. Nonetheless, these folks are generally promotable and essential to sustainable greatness in a company.

Finally, “team players” are important resources and easily recognized in organizations. Skilled at their current positions, they consistently meet job expectations and positively impact morale. Though some may respond to further career development, a distinguishing factor between this group and those more promotable is that team players tend to measure success and performance by effort and good intentions.

A Changing Mix of Skills
Secretary Reich and The Economist went beyond simply warning of the imbalance between global talent demand and supply. They highlighted the type of talent in question. Noting a relentlessly commoditized world, each posited that future business successes will be driven by increasing attention to creativity, product design, innovation, brand-building and organic growth.

Senior executives across industry recently have echoed the same theme. Chief executives of Procter & Gamble and General Electric have called for a new profile of “ambidextrous leadership.” General Motors has resurrected its historic emphasis on design, with car guru Bob Lutz noting his company is in the art business and needs more right-brained skills. Author Daniel Pink, in his book, A Whole New Mind, summed it up: right-brain talents must rise to equal status with left-brain attributes for tomorrow’s businesses to prosper. Design, creativity, big-picture vision and the ability to articulate “significance” instead of “utility” must be on equal footing with traditional quantitative, analytical and sequential thinking skills.

Specific attributes of an organization with high “leadership energy” might include (a) identifying, attracting and keeping exceptional talent; (b) setting and advancing very high standards; (c) rewarding success based on outcomes rather than effort and good intentions; (d) demonstrating superior execution skills; (e) relentlessly communicating core values, purpose and direction; and (f) setting the example at the top for openness, honesty, work ethic and passion. Great teams of people demonstrate high leadership energy. But even that is not quite enough.