TALENT BRANDING
by Bob Duffy
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Can your team adapt when opportunities and conditions demand it ? In broader terms , does your organization have the ‘ right stuff ’ to innovate successfully ?
This should be among the most important questions leaders ask as they assess their organization ’ s readiness for the changing demands of operational success today .
The answer tells the tale on the critical value of strategic human capital management in high-performance organizations in both private and public sectors .
Systematic talent management is central to sustained performance and innovation . For starters , managing your human capital strategically means :
• Identifying and anticipating needs for specific skills and pinpointing where these skills can be found
• Attracting individuals with the kinds of talent and personal qualities to succeed in your culture
• Aligning your full workforce with corporate strategy
• Retaining and developing high performing team members
It ’ s a no-brainer to point out that you should tailor all your people programs — for recruiting , retention , training , team-building , and so on — to your business case , strategy , and operational priorities . This is no less true today if you ’ re an association , a not-for-profit organization , or even a government agency . But consider this : building on the spirit and shared values that motivate your employees has a lot to do with sustained success in your markets or other spheres of influence .
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There ’ s good reason to apply what we ’ ve learned about marketplace brands to the workplace .
This may seem like an abstract and insubstantial basis for serious strategic planning , but what we ’ ve discovered with brand communities in the marketplace illustrates just how influential these intangibles can be . Consider Starbucks , Apple Computer , and Harley Davidson , to cite just a few current examples .
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