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TOP 10 WAYS TO DEVELOP AND RETAIN THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN A FORWARD THINKING ORGANISATION

1. Identify talents required for the job.

Find candidates who display those talents identified for the job. Get the right people with the right talent in the right place at the right time.

Talents + Skills and Knowledge = behaviour = outcomes

2. Be clear on outcomes required.

By studying the best employees achieving outcomes it is then possible to identify the behaviours displayed which are their strengths (a combination of talent, skills and knowledge).

3. Hold employees accountable for their outcomes.

Each employee should be aware that outcomes will be measured. According to research more than 50% of employees cannot agree to 'I know what is expected of me at work.' To increase this number it is essential that some form of measure is introduced.

4. Teach employees the difference between talents, skills and knowledge.

Each person has talents unique to them and the way to stand out is for them to identify their natural talents and to seek out skills and knowledge to complement those talents.

5. Teach employees to identify their strongest and weakest talents.

Encourage them to look for clues in terms of areas where they might rapidly learn, areas of satisfaction and those occasions when they have spontaneous reactions – these are the clues to their talents.

6. Introduce a common language for describing talent.

Make the language precise in order to describe the differences of how one person is different from the other. For example: Margaret is strong in Empathy and Tony is strong in Enthusiasm.

7. Teach employees to spend a minimum of 80% of their time building on their talents.

Encourage them to acquire relevant skills, knowledge and experience to build on their talents. Support them to use the time effectively and use a Coach within or without the organization for self-development purposes.

8. Teach employees that only 20% of their time should be spent managing their weaknesses.

Encourage them to use one of their strengths to counteract a weakness. If the weakness stems from lack of knowledge or skills give the support for them to take responsibility to gain them. Again it is also wise to consider the Coaching route.

9. What other support can you give to your employees?

Alongside the Coaching route there is training, further education, mentoring and of course one to one conversations.

10. And the outcome?

Employees will become more self aware and ask themselves questions such as:

Does this role play to my talents? Who on my team has talents which could complement mine? Managers will also consider what talents might be missing within the team which would make it more balanced and how to provide experiences for employees to build on talents to create strengths.

Your company will have those employees perfectly suited to their roles and challenged to be their best at work.

And remember: Talents + Skills and Knowledge = behaviour = outcomes

This piece was originally submitted by Margaret Hulse, Life and Business Coach, who can be reached at margaret@paradigmlifecoaching.com or website http://www.paradigmlifecoaching.com

March 2003