The folks over at the Taleo blog recently posted a high level Talent Management Maturity model that focuses on the evolution of Talent Management technologies. This information can be useful to understanding what is happening in the talent management marketplace, but what about the practical application of talent management in our organizations?

Here at the Knowledge Infusion megaplex we've been spending a lot of time and thought on how our customers (organizations) can measure their Talent Management process maturity - regardless of the technology they may be using. By focusing on individual talent mangement processes (i.e. Performance Mgt, Talent Acquisition, Learning Mgt, Career Planning, Succession Planning, Compensation) our goal is to allow organizations to create a baseline understanding from which to launch and really zero in on specific changes they can make to move forward. There are common themes emerging across processes as we complete our research. We've identified the following foundational factors as applicable to all talent management processes.

Business Outcome Focus: What business outcomes are you trying to achieve with the process? Are they defined?

Standardization: Is everyone in the organization doing the process the same way?

Visibility: How much visibility do you have into the effectiveness and/or efficiency of the process across the organization?

Integration: How integrated is the process with other key talent management processes?

Metrics: How are you measuring the efficiency and/or effectiveness of the process?

Stewardship: Who "owns" the process? Is the owner closely tied to the business or detached?

Of course, technology will enable many of the above factors. Are there any other foundational factors that apply across all talent management processes?

Be on the lookout for tools coming soon that will allow you to assess where your talent management processes are today, and how to move them forward based on your organization's needs!

First off, this isn't a post on the aging of the workforce. Instead, the "graying" of the workforce refers to the notion that the candidate pool in some industries is simply a revolving door of people that have worked for all the other competitors and are now revolving into a new job with a new company. This is the third or forth stop as they make their way through the industry in largely the same position. These individuals bring with them no new ideas and simply do what they do with a new set of business cards. Instead of being a colorful and vibrant place rich with innovation and new thinking, the workplace becomes a repackaged version of what all the other guys are doing and hence "gray."

This term was used in a recent interview with a financial services executive as he described one of the talent issues he was facing. As he described it, "we've had the same people coming in here with virtually no new ideas, no new blood." As a solution to this problem, he began to focus on college recruiting and recruiting top notch people from other industries. These programs became the means to infuse new blood and new thinking into workforce. He went on by saying, "I can teach people the job I hire them for, what I can't do is teach them to be innovative and think differently from all the other people here. Now, if only I could get the team at corporate to pay closer attention to success I am having with this approach."

This is the perfect example of a business leader "getting it." This financial services executive got deeply involved in the recruiting process and took ownership for the results. Remember, talent management isn't about HR, it's about the business and enabling the business to achieve results through talent.

I admit it, I'm a tree hugger. I love to be outside and hike and bike and enjoy all that nature has to offer. I like to take my family, get out of the city, and seek out the "green" spaces. Given this passion in my life, I've also gotten keenly aware of the global climate crisis that is creeping up upon us. I've started to research alternative energy sources such as solar and wind and now follow them as they mature and begin to make a dent in the foot hold that coal and oil have on this country.

A good friend of mine sent me an article from the Seattle Times talking about wind energy and the growing talent crisis the industry is starting to face. In his article, "Wind Energy Hasn't Blown in Enough Workers," David Twiddy describes the talent challenges occurring in wind energy.

"Wind-power officials see a much larger obstacle coming in the form of its own work force, a highly specialized group of technicians that combines working knowledge of mechanics, hydraulics, computers and meteorology with the willingness to climb 200 feet in the air in all kinds of weather. That work force isn't keeping up with the future demand, partly because the industry is so new that the oldest independent training programs are less than five years old. The American Wind Energy Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group, estimates the industry employs about 20,000 people, not including those making turbines or other equipment. Future need is harder to quantify, given the uncertainties of the industry's growth. But with two-man teams generally responsible for seven to 10 turbines, the industry would need up to 800 technicians to serve the turbines expected to be installed this year alone."

This article emphases the point that the talent crisis goes beyond the retirement of the "boomers" and also extends into new technologies and the workforce needed to make them flourish. Employers today must understand that the talent pipeline can and should extend far beyond the recruiting portal or job boards. No longer is it simply enough to sit back and wait for workers to come to you. Employers must start to reach out much earlier in the process and work with colleges, trade schools, and other training organizations to influence the talent pool coming into the industry. Partnering with these organizations can have a profound effect on the quality and volume of candidates to choose from.

Link to article: Wind Energy Hasn't Blown in Enough Workers

How "Mature" Are Your Organization's Talent Management Processes?

Many organizations we engage with view Talent Management like it's some kind of exotic new discipline. The reality is that the functions usually associated with Talent Management (Recruitment, Performance Management, Learning and Development, Career Planning, Workforce Planning, Succession Management, Compensation) have been around for a long time. New technologies are allowing organizations to tie all these processes together and get true visibility into the business impacts of these functions.

We can usually tell how "grown up" our client's are by asking some key questions around the following areas for each of their Talent Management processes:

• What are the business drivers of the process? We're often met with a blank stare here.

• How frequently do you perform the process? Once per year or is it a constant, ongoing process?

• How standardized is the process across your organization?

• What kind of visibility does the process provide into key measures and organizational trends?

• Who owns the process? HR or the business - or both?

• What technologies support the process? Technology is an enabler of increased standardization, visibility, and process integration

• How integrated is the process with other talent management processes?

• What metrics do you use to measure the effectiveness and business impacts of your process? Often, another blank stare here.

Obviously, in depth analysis is required to determine how to improve your organization's processes. But by asking key questions you can learn quite a bit about where your organization is now, and where you want it to be in 1, 3, 5 or 10 years.

So what is your organization? Toddler? Kindergartener? Adolescent? Adult?

It's time for March Madness again. As I thought about putting my bracket together, I waxed nostalgic about all the great team efforts I have been fortunate enough to witness in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament over the years. I also thought about the great coaches who have successfully led their teams into battle. For kicks, I just went to stat sheet.com, pulled the list of winningest NCAA men's b-ball coaches, and pasted it below. While much of the media's analysis of these sports legends contrasts their individual coaching styles and strategies for victory, one common thread amongst them is their focus on mastering fundamentals.

Similarly, all organizations attempting to get their talent management strategies to the big dance by optimizing its business processes and implementing a robust talent management system overhaul their talent management strategies cannot forget the importance of fundamentals. One fundamental area that can stop an organization's talent management initiative in its path is its mismanagement of basic employee and organizational data. This data is the foundation of any enterprise solution for talent management as it is used by all application areas (e.g., talent acquisition, learning & development, compensation, etc.).

The functionality, and consequently the user experience, of talent management systems depends upon the accuracy and integrity of core data. Consider the following examples:

• Reporting relationships are not up-to-date. So managers are frustrated when they cannot access review forms to provide members of their team with feedback. Furthermore, they are annoyed when they receive training approval requests from people who no longer report to them.

• The metrics on which you built your talent management business case for senior management - such as a reduction in turnover of high-performing employees - are nearly impossible to collect, report, and take action on.

• The use of role-specific competencies against which employees are recruited, developed, and compensated is delayed because the organization needs to consolidate the number of job codes.

These are just a few examples. There are plenty more. Please don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting readers stifle their vision when implementing talent management systems to make their organizations a better place to work for employees and a better place to invest for shareholders. I am merely encouraging you to set aside the time to master the fundamentals. Only when the data foundation is sound the vision be realized.

All-Time Winningest NCAA Men's College Basketball Coaches

902-371 Bob Knight

879-254 Dean Smith

876-190 Adolph F. Rupp

862-295 Don Meyer

830-524 Jim Phelan

828-447 Clarence E. Gaines

808-336 Eddie Sutton

802-266 Mike Krzyzewski

799-294 Lute Olson

786-394 Charles Driesell

The more I experience it first hand, the more I am convinced that exceptional talent actually results in higher revenue. Some may argue that there are many factors that lead to increased revenue, but I would counter that it all comes down to talent. As I see it, exceptional talent produces happy customers and happy customers are more willing to part with their hard earned money than unhappy customers.

Exceptional Talent = Happy Customers

Happy Customers = More Money Spent

More Money Spent = Higher Revenue

It's really a simple equation.

Case in point, at a recent stay at the JW Marriott Star Pass resort in Tucson, AZ, I experienced this concept first had. My wife and I checked in for a long weekend get away with the idea that we would use the resort as our home base and would get out and explore all that Tucson had to offer. From the moment I pulled my car up to the front door of the resort, I was welcomed with exception customer service. This trend continued over the next two and a half days with each and every interaction we had with the staff of the property. Each and every individual greeted us with a smile on their face and went out of their way to not only meet, but exceed our expectations.

As a result of the experience we had with the staff, we seldom left the resort and inevitably spent more money on discretionary items such as extra activities, dining, drinks by the pool, you name it. The exceptional talent at the resort made me a very happy customer. As a result of being a happy customer, I was willing to spend more money on discretionary items during my stay and ended up leaving a few hundred extra dollars at the resort that would have ordinarily stayed in my pocket or would have been spent elsewhere.

As you think about the talent of your organization, do you find you have the type that produces happy customers? Have you structured your talent programs to produce exceptional talent?

As a Patriotsfan who lives in Boston, I have been subject to a multimedia barrage of game analysis this week. That I had the misfortune of traveling to NY this week to see people dawning Giants' jerseys on their way to the City's ticker tape paradewas really salt in the wound. I have read and heard a lot of reasons offered for the Big Game's outcome, but a theme has become apparent to me through all this unwelcome noise. Regardless of either team's strategy - or 1,000 analysts' interpretation of that strategy - there were more players in more roles who drove their team's success or sadly for my beloved home team, their lack of success than normal headlines and salaries would lead one to believe. It's not just a game of throw-and-catch between a quarterback and a wide receiver.

A growing number of talent management professionals in the KI community recognize this in their own organizations. Many of these professionals have been chartered in recent years with tackling the baby boom problem that threatens to leave their organizations without competent senior leadership in the near future. What most find is that a focus only on keeping chairs warm in the executive ranks is not sufficient. Indeed many critical roles (i.e., key positions) are in the middle management and individual contributor ranks.

Think about it this way. We have all seen good people leave the organizations for which we have worked. However, the impact of their respective departures on business performance is largely dependent on the roles they played in the organization.

So what makes a role at an organization critical? To start building a list for talent planning purposes, you should evaluate roles at your organization by asking yourselves and your employee base simple questions such as:

• What roles have the largest and most direct impact on the metrics that matter to your organization? Revenue and costs are universal. Other measures such as those related to innovation and customer satisfaction vary based on industry and organization strategy.

• What roles have traditionally been the most difficult to fill?

• In what roles is there a big gap between good performance and bad performance? How has having sub-par performers in these positions bitten the organization in the past?

• With whom does the market associate the organization's brand?

There are other questions we advise KI community members to ask themselves so that they can better drive their talent management (e.g., recruiting, development, succession, compensation) efforts. However, starting with this simple list should provide a lot of insight, particularly if you survey a broad audience - employees, partners, and customers. Those roles that appear on one or several lists are worth your organization's focus.

Career management is to the individual as talent management is to the organization. Are you applying this logic to your talent management technology strategy? Are the needs of the employees and managers top-of-mind for the HR subcommittee at your organization in charge of turning the market buzz around integrated talent management into reality? If not, then I urge you to take a read.

Despite the threat of an economic slowdown, the demand for people with exceptional abilities and transferable skills will exceed the supply for years to come, particularly in today's dynamic and increasingly global business environment. The same macroeconomic trends driving the talent shortage are also producing unprecedented career opportunities. Think about it. The retirement of Baby Boomers means job openings. The globalization driving many organizations' top line growth means promotions and lateral assignments overseas for high potentials.

If your employees cannot find or do not feel they are being prepared by the organization to take on such roles, they will likely look elsewhere. A survey conducted by NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies in 2006 showed that New York professionals - while not a global sample, certainly a representative microcosm - expected, on average, to change careers - not jobs - three times in their lifetimes, and only 28 percent expected lifelong careers. Therefore, it is incumbent upon HR professionals and their business partners to create and manage career paths that help employees match their expertise and interests with the needs of the organization. However, the vast majority of these career paths will not resemble the linear tracks of our parents' generation. Gone are the days of checking in climbing a vertical ladder for 30 years to get that gold watch.

There are several reasons for this. For one, organizations have flattened over the past few decades, pushing responsibilities outward rather than simply up the management hierarchy. In addition, today's multi-generational workforce knows they cannot count on defined pensions when they retire. Couple this with longer life spans and work lives, and you have a employees who are more independent-minded than every. In addition, they have at their fingertips technologies that enable self-directed career exploration.

These dynamics should be a consideration to any HR professional or hopefully, team of professionals seeking to integrate their goals, systems, and processes developing a talent management technology strategy. Consider the end user employee who is less interested in automating what (s)he considers to be off-putting processes (e.g., performance reviews) and more about working in an environment that provides the tools that facilitate career management.

Given that more and more organizations these days are looking to help mobilize their key talent internally rather than let their most valuable assets walk out the door, it is incumbent upon employers to provide employees with user-friendly access to information and tools that enable them make well informed decisions to manage their careers. But what does the term, 'career management' actually mean? And what goals for helping the individual employee manage his or her career should an organization investing in new talent management systems (i.e., processes and technologies) have?

Let's start with a context and a working definition of what career management is before answering these questions. Career management within an organization is built on the premise that job security and advancement are based on experience, goal achievement and competencies (i.e., skills, knowledge and behaviors) rather than simply length of service. It entails an individual consciously taking stock of their strengths, interests, life events and development opportunities and applying them to possible future job roles inside the organization.

So what should a 'career management environment' have in order to make the experience a rich one for the employee?

First, it should have a single access point, for instance, some prominent real estate on an employee subportal with a career management brand. There should be a simple front page with instructions on how one can leverage the site to develop themselves. This front page should also provide access to possible career paths within the organization if there are any common ones - or even not-so-common ones with which some employees have found success. Employees should have the ability to search jobs in which they're interested as well.

Employees should also have access to their talent management applications from this page - performance management, learning management, etc. - from the place where they manage their careers as well. For instance, each of the jobs plotted along a career path or found in a search should have access to the following, all of which can be enabled through talent management systems:

• Access to a clearly defined job description - the level within the organization in which it resides, functional responsibilities, competencies needed, etc.

• Sample profiles of people actually in the job, perhaps with contact info for these people or HR representatives who can speak to the position further to see if it aligns with an employee's interests and skill sets.

• Job level (to indicate lateral and upward moves as well as pay scale).

• Links to competency assessments where someone interested can better evaluate their fit.