Talent: Misplaced, Mistreated, Misunderstood
Here is the genesis of this insight.
I was sitting in a bar with a good friend of mine last week sharing some deep and non-chronic conversation about...you know, life stuff. That day I was particularly down due to a sequence of news events from friends and their latest struggles.
So, my friend - who basically plays the role of life coach for beer and food - was asking me why was it that all these latest news were getting me so down. He challenged me to find the common theme from these different bits. After thinking about it for a nano-second, the insight came as it it had been waiting there for years.
All the bits of information had to do with good, talented and really intelligent people having difficulties with bad management or - if independent like some of them - with getting themselves or their businesses going.
So here it is: our social systems do not do a good job of "processing" talent. The system - whatever that is - lets us down all the time: We have the wrong people in management and we have talented and creative people dismissed or thrown out because they don't want to abide by the rules of business dictated by bad management. It is a bit of a circular problem. I consistently see people too young being in positions of authority. I consistently see highly creative people dismissed because of their quirkiness or becuase thet do not want to sit in a monocromaitc cube for 10 hours. I see people raised in other cultures dismissed because they don't fit the profile of the aggressive American, cowboy-based notion of "the" business man. I see incredibly talented people like my Art Director friend, Joethat while he is not a "business man" he has energy that if properly guided and mentored can lead to immense innovations and creations.
Here is a note to our executives and supposed industry leaders:
Talent is like energy; energy that needs to be understood, managed and unleashed. If you want static energy, then hire one dimensional people that will fail to move your company to the next level. If you want change, innovation, ideas, creativity then launch dynamic energy into your ranks. There are clear differences between the two and clear ways to identify them.
Now, don't reach out for your recruiter's telephone number. This is not about getting them "hired" to work for your company although that may be the answer sometimes. This is about you and your company opening yourselves to new energy management and engagement models so that you can engage these dynamic agents. In my experience these agents and their energy are already in your organizations but have been suppressed by the static nature of our organizations and need to be liberated.
Give me a call and I will let you know how...
I was sitting in a bar with a good friend of mine last week sharing some deep and non-chronic conversation about...you know, life stuff. That day I was particularly down due to a sequence of news events from friends and their latest struggles.
So, my friend - who basically plays the role of life coach for beer and food - was asking me why was it that all these latest news were getting me so down. He challenged me to find the common theme from these different bits. After thinking about it for a nano-second, the insight came as it it had been waiting there for years.
All the bits of information had to do with good, talented and really intelligent people having difficulties with bad management or - if independent like some of them - with getting themselves or their businesses going.
So here it is: our social systems do not do a good job of "processing" talent. The system - whatever that is - lets us down all the time: We have the wrong people in management and we have talented and creative people dismissed or thrown out because they don't want to abide by the rules of business dictated by bad management. It is a bit of a circular problem. I consistently see people too young being in positions of authority. I consistently see highly creative people dismissed because of their quirkiness or becuase thet do not want to sit in a monocromaitc cube for 10 hours. I see people raised in other cultures dismissed because they don't fit the profile of the aggressive American, cowboy-based notion of "the" business man. I see incredibly talented people like my Art Director friend, Joethat while he is not a "business man" he has energy that if properly guided and mentored can lead to immense innovations and creations.
Here is a note to our executives and supposed industry leaders:
Talent is like energy; energy that needs to be understood, managed and unleashed. If you want static energy, then hire one dimensional people that will fail to move your company to the next level. If you want change, innovation, ideas, creativity then launch dynamic energy into your ranks. There are clear differences between the two and clear ways to identify them.
Now, don't reach out for your recruiter's telephone number. This is not about getting them "hired" to work for your company although that may be the answer sometimes. This is about you and your company opening yourselves to new energy management and engagement models so that you can engage these dynamic agents. In my experience these agents and their energy are already in your organizations but have been suppressed by the static nature of our organizations and need to be liberated.
Give me a call and I will let you know how...
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