Five steps that can support your organization in talent management excellence.
Your human resource team has probably outlined the duties, skill sets and expectations for each job in your organization. They may have even included things like: take initiative, be a team player, effective communicator. But, more than likely, there is no matching score card available for managers on those ambiguous, but important soft skills.
So leaders must guess at how an employee has performed in that area and most likely only reviews the employee's contributions once a year at the annual, required employee performance evaluation.
Is there another way?
Accountability should drive your talent management process. Here are the five steps that can support your organization in talent management excellence.
Step 1: Determine what you will measure and how you will measure it
How do you measure something like teamwork? Have team members do an evaluation. It doesn't have to be scary, and it doesn't have to be a 360 evaluation.
Identify the specific expectations you believe demonstrate good team participation. Three is enough for you to make an effective process. Some examples are: effectively participates in meetings, is an effective listener, completes tasks on time and does a good job.
Then, ask team members to score each other on a Likert scale from 1 to 3. 1 is "I have some concerns." 2 is "Team participation is good in this area.' 3 is "Team participation is excellent in this area." If an evaluating employee gives a score that is a 1, that employee must suggest how the other team member can improve.
Any employee receiving a 1 score must meet with the manager and the evaluating employee that gave the score to discuss how to improve. The manager will either concur or renegotiate the score based on her/his participation in the discussion. The score then becomes a part of the employee’s performance management portfolio for that fiscal year.
And make sure that you are measuring the hard skills as well and adding those to the employee's performance management portfolio.
Step 2: Regularly ask the employee for a progress report
Whether you have a few employees or many, having each fill out a quarterly progress report can give you a heads-up on how your employees are doing. It is like a check-up at your doctor’s office. You just want to monitor a few key things and be alerted if there is something you need to address.
You can ask:
• Do you have the resources in terms of training, support, equipment that you need to do your job?
• Is there anything you are unclear about in terms of your job or expectations?
• Do you get the needed information and communications that allows you to be informed?
• Do you feel valued and appreciated for your contribution?
• Do you have any processes or projects that you would like to work on to improve the overall organization?
Work with your employees to create a check-up form for your specific needs.
Step 3: Outline your processes
If you outline the steps of your work processes and then review them with employees, you will discover that there are many creative ways that employees devise to get work done. And believe it or not you will discover a "best-practice" for most. This also will allow you to make sure that steps are not missed, that employees can learn from each other and that you can improve processes on-going.
Step 4: Work with employees to identify real goals that will benefit the employee
You have probably learned to tell employees to do stretch goals but what often happens is that the employee comes up with something because they have to and it is often something that is difficult to measure. Instead, ask the employee what they want to accomplish in terms of their own career and then find something that benefits the employee and also the department.
This involves more coaching and time, but is well worth it. Employees that are supported, valued and treated like professionals are stronger, engaged contributors.
Step 5: Make sure you get feedback from your employees on how you are doing
Finally, at least once a year sit down with your employees and ask them how you are doing in terms of talent management. Ask:
● Do you feel that I support you in doing your job?
● Do you get enough feedback from me?
● What would you like me to do more effectively?
● What can I do so that you can do your very best?
Talent management is really about all of us being accountable in a transparent and dynamic manner.
Linda Galindo is the author of three books about personal accountability: "Way to Grow!" (2004) "The 85% Solution" (2009) and her most recent book “Where Winners Live” (2013 She is president of Galindo Consulting Inc. in Park City, Utah, and has worked for more than 20 years as a consultant, keynote speaker, leadership development facilitator and executive coach. Contact her at Linda@LindaGalindo.com.