Evaluating Your Talent Strategy

Dear Uncommon Leaders, 

How was your weekend? Hope it was a good one.

As we get started on a new week, think about the uncommon organization you are building through the lens of your talent strategy.

Be intentional in your growth this week and have a great week ahead!

This Week's Question:

When was the last time you thoroughly evaluated your talent strategy?

This Week's Challenge: 

Yesterday, I worked the floor of our retail running store during peak hours. It was a busy Saturday. I left thinking about how awesome our people are.

While we sell some great products, it’s the staff that has the most impact on what customers think of our brand.

As we got busy, I observed team members hustling to please customers, educating them on product details, and being patient when someone needed extra time. Seeing them perform at such a high level was gratifying because a lot of time and hard work has gone into finding and developing this team.

One of the biggest challenges leaders have always faced is attracting and retaining great people.

Finding uncommon talent isn't easy.

Retaining uncommon talent is even harder.

Yet we often spend more time evaluating sales strategies, financial performance, and operations than we do evaluating how we attract, develop, and retain people.

The reality is, our talent strategy is the foundation of our growth strategy. Uncommon people lead to uncommon results.

If you’re struggling to find great people, keep great people, or develop future leaders, it's worth asking some hard questions:

• Are we attracting the kind of people we actually want?
• What makes someone choose to join our team?
• What makes our best people stay?
• Are we intentionally developing future leaders?
• Would our current team enthusiastically recommend working here?

The labor market is ever-changing. Expectations change. Competition for talent has changes.

Is your talent strategy evolving and improving with the times?

If not, there is a real danger of getting further behind.

Your challenge this week:

Take 30 minutes with your leadership team and evaluate your talent strategy.

Identify one thing you're doing well and one thing that needs improvement.

Then commit to making one meaningful change.

Because uncommon organizations aren't built by accident.

They are built by leaders who understand that people are not just part of the business—they are the business.

Let's go be Uncommon.

This Week's Quote to Ponder:

"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." - Harvey S. Firestone

Until next week,

LET'S GO BE UNCOMMON!

W. Kevin Harrison

Founder and Executive Coach

Uncommon Influence