Breakthrough Talent Leadership

Talent Affirmation & Differentiation
In an earlier article we indicated that only 16% of organizations separate the "A", "B" and "C" players. If an organization does not engage in a systematic approach to separate talent-both in terms of performance and potential-then it becomes impossible to make the best strategic human resources decisions (i.e., rewards, promotion, succession planning, and termination decisions.)

After all, those employees who consistently execute at the highest level should be rewarded more than employees who don't execute at the highest level. Great organizations differentiate pay, opportunities, and other investments they make in people. They reward their best performers with fast-track growth and pay them substantially more than their average performers. They develop and "affirm" their solid performers who are always trying to raise their game. They also remove employees who are under performing. Their belief, a perceptive and correct one, is that condoning or tolerating poor performance is destructive to the team's motivation for success and achievement.

The catchphrase, "The best way to punish a high performing team member is by ignoring a low performer," says it all. Under performers must be identified and dealt with.

Most organizations, unfortunately, struggle with this concept. Typically, they don't have a way to identify the A's, B's and C's, nor do they have a systematic approach and process to ensure that appropriate actions are taken. Most organizations, frankly, conduct one-day succession planning exercises at corporate headquarters; however, they have little honesty and little resulting action. On the other hand, great organizations have a passionate and diligent focus on executing "talent reviews." In fact, the intensity and focus of these reviews often match and sometimes exceed the intensity and focus of the budget process.

With respect to Talent Affirmation and Differentiation, AlignMark offers some of the following best practices:

• Performance Management is a joint partnership between manager and employee
• Performance Management is continuous and on-going
• The "process" is more than a "form" or "software"
• Managers are trained to separate the A's, B's and C's
• Performance criteria are valid
• Final ratings based on "what" and "how"

For additional information contact John Mattone at jmattone@alignmark.com or 407-659-3525.