The Talent Wars

Being in a war for the right talent for your team is not a new thing. We have been fighting to attract and keep the best people since the beginning of time. I would imagine the original troglodytes (cavemen) were arguing over who was going to get the best hunters, gatherers, and leaders in their tribe. But here we are in modern times, still trying to figure out who the best business developers, service reps, managers, and leaders are and how we can get them to join our corporate tribes. Today, just like thousands of years ago, the answer lies in what is offered to the high-potential members of our teams.

Too many people have become fixated on only one type of currency, though. We think of money as the only thing that gets others to want to be a part of our team. The problem with this idea is that money is one type of currency, but there are a host of others. Purpose, being on a winning team, collaboration, relationships, safety, fun, time, and on and on can be seen as various types of currency that will attract great people. Through the pandemic, we noticed a shift in what drove people to want to be a part of a team. Some began craving more time at home. Others craved flexibility in their working schedule. Still others longed to go back to the way things were. Regardless of what was driving them, an awakening began to happen. This awakening was tied to the idea of self. Our self-concepts have always played a role in who we became, where we chose to work, and how we worked in that process. When companies tap into a person's core drivers, they can create a workplace that accounts for the various types of currency people are looking for.

Three simple steps help a company discover how to approach winning the talent war…

1. What is needed in your organization? Think in terms of what outcomes are needed in order to be successful in your organization. Don’t think in terms of how many people are needed. When we think of outcomes, we begin looking for people who can create those outcomes. If one top-performing person can create the outcomes of 3 average people, then hire the one. In each area/division of your organization, outline the outcomes needed.
2. What is needed by your people? Think in terms of what skills, abilities, and internal makeup are needed from each person who can help you achieve your desired outcomes. Once you have a psychological picture of their makeup coupled with the skills and abilities needed, you have all of the critical elements of a plan to succeed.
3. What is working? Think about what training, coaching, collaboration, and other practices are actually getting you the desired outcomes. Anything that isn’t working, get rid of it. If it is working, intensify your focus on it. Just don’t do what you have always done. Instead, do what works.

If you will follow these simple steps, get rid of the ego side of self that wants to believe what you have always done is what you should keep doing, and focus on getting the outcomes desired, you will become an unstoppable force in business. I have seen this simple model work time and time again. I am confident it will work for your business as well.