Leadership: Managing talent in the workplace – Part 3

In today’s intense and competitive business environment, it is not enough to have the five-talent man and the two-talent man in your team; you must be able to manage them and, most importantly, retain them. Ironically, the one talented man must also be managed. Recall, the one talented man is a lazy drone, waster, complainer, and a team member with the wrong attitude. For such talented people, it is either their mindset is changed or they are managed out of the organisation. Talent management requires engagement, recognition, and strategic human resource practices. All these are critical in managing talent. You reward good talents, and you reprimand the one talented man. The one talented man, if left unchecked, can stifle the growth of others.

Managing talents requires that you view employees as human beings and not just tools, workers, or resources that are necessary to achieve your objectives. There must be a deliberate approach by line managers to ignite passion in their associates for better performance. Line managers must connect with the heart of their team members. This will lead them to a life of willing sacrifice to get the job done. There is a way your associates get engaged and connected with you as a manager that their colleagues in other departments will desire to join your team.

Consider the case of Satya Nadella at Microsoft. When he took over as CEO in 2014, he was already a known talent within the company. Microsoft’s challenge wasn’t just recognising Nadella’s abilities but creating an environment where he could thrive and lead the company to new heights. Under proper management, Nadella transformed Microsoft’s culture and strategy, leading to a remarkable turnaround in the company’s fortunes.

An engaged employee becomes a brand ambassador for your organisation. A well-managed talent will stay with your organisation not under compulsion but willingly. When you see people put their heart and mind to work, it is a sign that they are well engaged by the organisation. A disengaged employee will act in a way that can negatively affect the organisation. A company interested in managing talents will give more focus to employee satisfaction than customer satisfaction.

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Costco is an organisation known for its exceptional employee retention. Their employees—the everyday workers who keep the business running—stay with the company for an average of 9 years, compared to 4 years at Walmart. Costco achieves this through fair wages, good benefits, and a culture of respect, showing that managing two- talented individuals is about consistent appreciation and support.

When employees are satisfied, it will automatically lead to exceeding customer service satisfaction. Your employees are the ones that will deliver service to your customers, hence the need to keep your employees engaged. In this parable of the talent, you must know how to hire the right five talents and two talented men. You must also know how to manage them by keeping them engaged. Engaging your employees will also help you retain them.

Treating employees as mere resources is a recipe for disengagement. Google, for instance, has a “20 percent time” policy, which allows employees to spend one day a week on side projects. This led to innovations like Gmail and AdSense. This approach demonstrates how viewing employees as creative individuals rather than cogs in a machine can yield remarkable results.

Consider how Herb Kelleher led Southwest Airlines. His approach to management was deeply personal—he knew many employees by name, sent birthday cards, and was known to help baggage handlers on Thanksgiving. This personal touch created a culture of dedication that set Southwest apart in the airline industry. Starbucks also provides an excellent example of the impact of employee engagement. They refer to their employees as “partners” and offer benefits like health coverage and stock options even to part-time workers. This approach has resulted in lower turnover rates and higher customer satisfaction scores compared to industry averages.

In conclusion, effective talent management is an art that requires a delicate balance of recognition, engagement, and strategic decision-making. By focussing on employee satisfaction and creating an environment where all levels of talent can thrive, organisations can build a workforce that not only excels in their roles but also becomes true ambassadors for the company. Remember, in the parable of talents, the master rewarded those who multiplied their gifts. In the business world, it’s the leader’s responsibility to create conditions where every employee—from the five-talented superstars to the two-talented backbones—can multiply their contributions and find fulfilment in their work.

Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.