Top 10 Mistakes in Talent Management

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The Top 10 Talent Management Mistakes
(and how to avoid them)
Mistake #
The Top 10 Mistakes in
Talent Management
Align. Develop. Reward. Retain.

Mistake #
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Mistake #
Marc Effron
President, The Talent Strategy Group
Author, One Page Talent Management: Eliminating Complexity, Adding Value
(Harvard Business Press, 2010)
Founder, New Talent Management Network
HOST: Marc Effron

Mistake #10: Not starting with the science
Science provides insights for everything we do
• How to set goals
• How to coach
• How to identify high potential leaders
• How much compensation matters
So is your first step always “starting the with science”?

About benchmarking . . .
It will get you to the 50th percentile, but never the 75th. Why?
• Science-based? Were their ideas based on proven facts or just leaders’ preferences at
that company?
• Strategic Fit?: Were those programs developed to meet that company’s specific
strategic goals?
• Implementation?: Benchmarking rarely uncovers the more subtle factors that allowed
implementation (i.e. CEO support, large budget)
• Culture fit?: How would implementing this idea in your company affect your corporate
culture?
5
Starting with the science ensures that you’re building
on a stable foundation

Mistake #9: Starting with an HR goal, not a business goal
What is the business goal/problem that you’re trying to solve?
• What is the business trying to achieve and what’s the simplest
way to achieve it?
• Take off your HR hat
• No HR process has an independent right to exist

Mistake #
8: Letting employees set and evaluate their own goals
Did he just say that??
• Let’s go back to the science
• Performance is same whether employee or manager sets goals
• We are wildly inaccurate in our self-assessments
• Managers are best able to guide goals and evaluate results

Mistake #
8
Are there clear rules in your company about . . .
• How long is it OK to be an average (50th percentile)
performer? How long in a key role?
• How accountable are managers to actually develop
employees and what happens if they don’t?
• How transparent should managers be with their direct
reports about their potential to advance in the company?
We all have personal opinions on these questions.
Few companies have a clear set of rules.
7: Not Having a Talent Philosophy

Mistake #
9
• Performance
• Behaviors
• Differentiation
• Transparency
• Accountability
INSIGHTS
What’s your
Talent Philosophy?
Few companies use consistent, strategic guidelines
to inform their talent decisions. Should managers’
personal preferences govern how you grow talent?
Then
Then
Then
I F
Then
Then
Then
I F
Then
Then
Then
I F
A talent philosophy defines five areas:

Mistake #
10
Where Does it Fit?
Talent Philosophy
The rules of the road for building
your company’s talent
Your Company’s
Success Model
The capabilities that will
distinguish your best talent
The foundation
for all talent
activities
Talent Reviews and
Succession Planning
Ensure that high quality
talent exists and that it can
sustain the business
Performance
Management
Align employees with the
needs of the business
The core processes
for ensuring high
performing talent

Mistake #6: Not building our capabilities
Business Junkie
The Differentiating TwoBusiness Junkie
The Core Four
Trusted Executive Advisor
• Professionally Credible
• Forms Strong Executive
Relationships
Courageous Advocate
• Has a Theory of the Case
• Is Appropriately Aggressive
Business Junkie
HR Disciple
Production Manager
Talent Authority

Mistake # 5: Focusing on the year-end instead of goal setting
Set Goals Observe & Coach Review Performance
Set a few high quality
goals that create higher
performance
Keep everyone at a
strong performance
level
Fairly and accurately
assess performance

Mistake #
13
4: Not Creating a Talent Production Line
Talent should be built just like any other product
– A production process should exist with clear specifications, a reliable
production line and strict quality control
– When the process is run, it should actually produce talent
What are the specifications
for the talent you plan to
produce and how you plan to
produce it?
What machinery will most simply turn
raw material into finished product?
What will move the conveyor belt?
How will quality be evaluated?
Production Process
What is the plan for
effectively distributing
this talent through the
organization?
What quality of raw
material are we starting
the process with?
Specifications
Specificationto
produceleaders
at
mycompany
2010
Talent
5’11”
EXTaYellow
Specificationto
produceleaders
at
mycompany
2010
Talent
5’11”
EXYellow
Talent
5’11”
EXTalent
Raw Materials Distribution

Mistake #3: Lack of process and outcome transparency
Process
Transparency
Outcome Transparency
How open is your organization
about the tools and processes
used in talent reviews, high po
selection, performance
management, etc.?
Are those employees who are
discussed in talent processes
communicated to about the
discussion and any decisions
made?
100% transparency isn’t always the right answer, but
more is always better than less

Mistake #2: Lack of accountability
Can you answer the critical question: Why Should I?
• Accountability must mean consequences
• Creative accountability works – cultural pressure, name & shame
• Select the few most powerful levers to hold them accountable for
To what extent are your leaders accountable for growing talent?
What could you this month to improve that?

Mistake #1: Making talent processes too complex
• Talent building processes work only if implemented
• Successful implementation is rare
• HR has added complexity without adding value
• Must radically simplify (starting with the science)

17
• Does each element (process step,
box on form, etc.) add more value
than complexity?
• Do all elements together add more
value than complexity?
• Are facts/science guiding our
choices or are personal
preferences?

Mistake #
The Top 10 Talent Management Mistakes (and how to avoid them):
1. Making talent processes too complex
2. Lack of accountability for building talent
3. Lack of transparency about processes and outcomes
4. Not creating a talent production line
5. Focusing on year-end instead of goal setting
6. Not training your generalists
7. Not having a talent philosophy
8. Letting employees set and evaluate their own goals
9. Starting with an HR goal, not a business goal
10.Not starting with the science

Mistake #
Marc Effron
President – The Talent Strategy Group
marc@talentstrategygroup.com
www.talentstrategygroup.com
CRG emPerform
info@employee-performance.com
Contact Us:

Top 10 Mistakes in Talent Management

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