Issues in aligning talent management and strategy

1. Aligning
Talent Management & Strategy
Dr. Elijah Ezendu
FIMC, FCCM, FIIAN, FBDI, FAAFM, FSSM, MIMIS, MIAP, MITD, ACIArb, ACIPM,
PhD, DocM, MBA, CWM, CBDA, CMA, MPM, PME, CSOL, CCIP, CMC, CMgr

2. “Talent Development is the process of changing
an organisation, its employees, its stakeholders,
and groups of people within it, using planned
and unplanned learning, in order to achieve and
maintain a competitive advantage for the
organisation.”
Source: W.J. Rothwell and H.C. Kazanas, Strategic Development of Talent

3. Survey of 1,690 business and learning professionals showed the following:
• High performing organizations tend to integrate talent management components
more than low performing organizations.
• Learning executives play critical roles in major integrated talent management
components.
• Many of the most effective integrated talent management practices are not
widely used.
• Impediments to effective integrated talent management efforts include
conflicting priorities, limited resources, non-supportive corporate cultures,
incompatible organizational processes, and senior leaders who undervalue
integrated talent management.
The survey proved that strategies for effective talent management should include
the following:
• Using tools such as employee surveys and discussions to gain insights into
organizational culture. Focus on aspects of the culture that most affect talent
programs and take action.
• Scheduling regular reviews of organizational processes and policies that affect
talent management to ensure responsiveness and support for integration efforts.
Source: ASTD, Learning’s Critical Role in Integrated Talent Management

4. The New Realities of Talent Management
• The business environment is becoming more complicated
• The departure of baby boom generation creates problematic openings
• Unwillingness of top talents to become employees due to vista of
entrepreneurship for building personal business which ensures income security
and dignity
• Retention issues
• Talent Driven Competitiveness
• Leadership Development
• Business Survival
• Global Talent War
• Workplace Spirituality
• Information Versatility of Employees via Social Networks and multimedia
platforms
• Cannibalization of Employee-Employer Bond
• Trivialization of Employee Expectancy
• Employees’ Focus on Personal Goals Stimulates Talent Mobility
• Rise of Ethical Sensitivity Affects Choice of Workplace
• Employee Advocacy for Fair Share of Returns

5. Developmental Challenges and Barriers 1
• The psychological contract between employer
and employee has shifted from employment
security to lopsided employability
• Talent disconnect occasioned by corporate
governance jinx
• Employee tends to be more agile in
controlling the power of employee-employer
relationship
• Talent development based on outdated
business needs
• Talent war

6. Developmental Challenges and Barriers 2
• Perennial hiring freezes
• Absence of multifaceted development channels
• Top Management Disinterestedness
• Disregarding intangibles due to
disproportionate focus on financial capital
• Erroneous emphasis on top management
• Talent-pipeline dislocation
• Structural paralysis
• Cultural dilemma
• Rambling business model

7. "People development is receiving growing
recognition as a strategic issue. Growing talent
is much broader than just learning new skills.
There is a more strategic perspective than when
I started my career. Talent development is now
integrated with strategy and business culture.
The ability to develop talent is a prerequisite for
any company’s success. It enriches the skills of
employees and increases their commitment,
and it provides a competitive advantage for the
organisation as a whole.“
- Pat Crull, Vice President & Chief Learning Officer of Time Warner

8. Developing a Framework for Talent Management
 Define competency framework for the organisation
 Articulate an employer brand
 Design appropriate talent management process with respect
to career and succession
 Assess demand for managerial and leadership competencies
 Design and implement a talent appreciation process, which is
opportunity for managers to get talent check from credible
people and processes
 Monitor and implement on-going development plans
 Designing tailor made leadership development programmes
 Align all HR processes to support the leadership development
initiative
Source: Prasenjit Bhattacharya, Managing Talent

9. Source: TalentAlign

10. The Imperative of Aligning Talent
Management with Strategic Objectives
Aligning talent development with strategic
objectives yields a well-rounded value-chain
piecing together which ensures resources
injected into talents are in sync with talent
requirements for generating business excellence
consistent with established strategic intent.

11. Alignment of Talent Development with
Strategic Objectives can be achieved by applying
Competency Framework for mapping Strategic
Objectives to Performance Standards as well as
the complete stream of Talent Development
framework of an organisation.

12. Questions During Alignment of Talent
Development to Strategic Objectives
• What business goals and strategies are we pursuing?
• What will these changes mean for out talent
requirements?
• Who do we currently have on board that fits this profile?
• Can we grow some of our talents to support our
strategy?
• Do we need to recruit from outside?
• What will the selected leaders collectively and
individually need to support their growth and on-going
development?
Source: M. Butteriss and C. Salloway, Talent Planning, A Systematic and Integrated Approach

13. Four Dimensions of Talent Development
Pipeline Architecture
• A clear articulated picture of your talent needs over
several years.
• Developmental pathways that you can use to get raw
potential developed into polished performer.
• Key HR Systems and Processes that can enable potential
to be realized as performance
• Programmes that enable both talent to develop and
talent managers to do a great job of ensuring that the
organisation becomes a talent rich enterprise
Source: Jeffrey Gandz, Talent Development, The Architecture of a Talent Pipeline That
Works

14. Succession not Replacement
Zero talent-outage
Magnet for Talent
In-Depth Talent Pool at All Levels
Leadership Brand
(Vision - Results – Behaviours – Competencies – Character – Values)
Pathways
A clear set of
developmental moves
designed to get people
the essential experiences,
coaching and mentoring
necessary to develop their
potential into outstanding
performance
Programmes
Various development
programmes: Some focus
on knowledge, some on
skills and others on
developing the judgment
to operate in ambiguous
and uncertain situations
Processes
The seven fundamental
HRM processes that
together constitute the
leadership talent
development process
Talent Development Architecture
Source: Jeffrey Gandz, Talent Development, The Architecture of a Talent Pipeline That Works

15. Jeffrey Gandz Talent-Specific Development
 Each type of talent requires its own
developmental P3
- Technical talent
- Creative talent
- Sales talent
- Leadership talent
 Talent development does NOT imply
hierarchical movement in the organization.
 Talent development is essential for no other
reason than the bar is constantly being raised

16. Talent Development Pipeline
Source: Jeffrey Gandz, Talent Development, The Architecture of a Talent Pipeline That Works

17. A Community of Practice (COP) is a group of
individuals sharing a common working practice
over a period of time, though not a part of a
formally constituted work team. They generally
cut across traditional organizational boundaries
and enable individuals to acquire new
knowledge faster.
Source: NAVSEA Community of Practice Practitioner's Guide, U.S.
Department of the Navy

18. Every organisation should establish, nurture and
boost communities of practice by setting up COP
charter, pinpointing roles and developing its
systems and operational capability with the aim
of accelerating knowledge transfer at all levels.

19. On-The-Job Developmental Activities
• Job Shadowing
• Active Listening
• Individual Coaching
• Group Coaching
• Feedback
• Job Rotation
• Technical and Leadership Internship
• Mentoring
• Informational Interviews
• Storytelling
• Self-Paced Experiential Learning

20. Coaching Model
Source: Ascentia, Talent Coaching

21. Individual Development Plan
IDPs are individually tailored and describe
objectives and activities for the employee's
career development. IDPs can be a win/win
strategy because they benefit both the
employee and the organization. Employees
benefit, because implementing an IDP helps
them enhance their knowledge, skills and
experiences. Improved competencies help them
achieve personal and career goals both inside of
and external to the organization.
Source: US Defence Individual Development Plan

22. Key Alignment Questions
• Does your organisation have IDP framework?
• Were subject matter experts involved in
structuring the IDP?
• Is the IDP in sync with corporate objectives?
• Is the IDP focused only on competence,
leaving aside strategic development of
commitment?

23. Human Talent
Source: Elijah Ezendu, Talent Management

24. Characteristics of Idiosyncrasy as
Constituent of Talent
• It drives and steers both competence and
commitment towards attainments.
• It can inhibit or accelerate competence
development.
• It influences commitment.
• It represents core talent strength.
• It’s the superseding feature of talent identity.

25. Operability of Alignment
• Individual Development Plan can be used to
align competence and commitment.
• Operating Culture in the organisation can be
used to align commitment and idiosyncrasy.

26. Talent Misplacement
Talent Strategy
Talent Strategy
Talent Placement
Divergence Effect
Convergence Effect

27. Consequence of Talent Misplacement
• Waste
• Corporate Failure
• Systemic Inefficiency
• Internal Service Downfall
• Dislocation of Business Model
• Deteriorating Value Chain
• Structural Paralysis

28. Result of Talent Placement
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29. Dr Elijah Ezendu is Award-Winning Business Expert & Certified Management Consultant with expertise
in Interim Management, Strategy, Competitive Intelligence, Transformation, Restructuring, Turnaround
Management, Business Development, Marketing, Project & Cost Management, Leadership, HR, CSR, e-
Business & Software Architecture. He had functioned as Founder, Initiative for Sustainable Business
Equity; Chairman of Board, Charisma Broadcast Film Academy; Group Chief Operating Officer, Idova
Group; CEO, Rubiini (UAE); Special Advisor, RTEAN; Director, MMNA Investments; Chair, Int’l Board of
GCC Business Council (UAE); Senior Partner, Shevach Consulting; Chairman (Certification & Training),
Coordinator (Board of Fellows), Lead Assessor & Governing Council Member, Institute of Management
Consultants, Nigeria; Lead Resource, Centre for Competitive Intelligence Development; Lead
Consultant/ Partner, JK Michaels; Turnaround Project Director, Consolidated Business Holdings Limited;
Technical Director, Gestalt; Chief Operating Officer, Rohan Group; Executive Director (Various Roles),
Fortuna, Gambia & Malta; Chief Advisor/ Partner, D & E; Vice Chairman of Board, Refined Shipping;
Director of Programmes & Governing Council Member, Institute of Business Development, Nigeria;
Member of TDD Committee, International Association of Software Architects, USA; Member of Strategic
Planning and Implementation Committee, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria;
Country Manager (Nigeria) & Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Regent Business School, South Africa;
Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Editor-in-Chief, Cost
Management Journal; Council Member, Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria; Member, Board of
Directors (Several Organizations). He holds Doctoral Degree in Management, Master of Business
Administration and Fellow of Professional Institutes in North America, UK & Nigeria. He is Innovator of
Corporate Investment Structure Based on Financials and Intangibles, for valuation highlighting
intangible contributions of host communities and ecological environment: A model celebrated globally
as remedy for unmitigated depreciation of ecological capital and developmental deprivation of host
communities. He had served as Examiner to Professional Institutes and Universities. He had been a
member of Guild of Soundtrack Producers of Nigeria. He's an author and extensively featured speaker.

30. Thank You