Keeping Your Talent Team Happy

by: Demetria Miles-McDonald

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For years, talent development leaders have been striving to earn a seat at the table where organization altering decisions are made. There have been numerous research articles, opinion pieces, and counterarguments made as to why a seat isn't always reserved for talent development professionals, but the bottom line is that while every other major department is focused on increasing sales and gaining market share, talent development is focused on the one asset who makes it all possible-the people. As the search for qualified candidates grows dire, the need for a healthy talent development team becomes an increasingly vital part of a successful organization. In other words, not only should talent development professionals be at the table, other organizational leaders should be begging talent development professionals to weigh in on decisions and occasionally lead the way. 

The Importance of TD

"It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do" -Steve Jobs

Talent development is the key to attracting, hiring, and developing smart talent. No longer is the talent function filling a supporting role. Talent development is upfront and center in one of the most important times in organizational evolution. In order to keep your company afloat, ensure that your talent development departments are functioning at their best. Consider your talent development team's connection to people, learning, and resources. 

People: Connecting with people is at the heart of what talent professionals do every single day. We hear hopes, dreams, and aspirations, and attempt to create pathways to bring those things to fruition. We develop training curricula, create coaching programs, and so much more, in order to increase the chances of success. Not only that, we connect with our fellow talent development professionals to share best practices and gather input on the future of talent development. 

Learning: Connecting with learning is how talent development professionals remain relevant and at the top of our game. We connect with learning institutions, training programs, and industry experts to ensure that we bring the latest and greatest to our clients, both internally and externally. We serve as both teachers and students in this life-long journey and embrace every situation as a learning opportunity. 

Performance: Connecting with performance is the ultimate goal. It's the business driver that fuels our every decision. We hold out for the perfect candidate, allocate extra hours to the project, stress over the implementation of new initiatives, and more, all so that we can see an increase in positive performance. Because of our dedication to performance, talent development has earned a right to sit at the business building table. 

Your Call to Action

Reprinted with permission, © 2017 Association for Talent Development