A CEO’s Guide to Talent Management Today
All the tech in the world is meaningless without the talent to put it to use.
Most efforts at developing leaders and talent fail, yet the need for exceptional leadership at all levels has never been clearer. It is only by tightly linking leadership and talent development to value creation that companies drive sustainable superior business performance.
Today’s business context—marked by globalization, more and varied stakeholders, and economic, political, and social instability—presents unprecedented complexity. The need for strong leadership and talent has never been greater than it is today, driving the need to focus on:
Yet most organizations lack this focus, making the problem both ongoing and systemic. In an annual global survey conducted over the last eight years, “managing talent” and “improving leadership development” have consistently remained in the red zone of future importance and low current capability.
To address these challenges, companies are investing in suboptimal leadership development and talent programs. The programs often focus on certifications versus learning. They take place outside of day-to-day business, are disconnected from companies’ strategic business priorities, and often are not harmonized with one another or with companies’ talent systems. This approach is both resource-intensive and value-draining—and leaves companies no better able to achieve strategic business objectives.
The key to sustainable business performance is a tight linkage between capability-building and value creation. Either done in isolation of the other leads to inferior, unsustainable outcomes. Together and tightly integrated with value creation, leadership and talent development can be an engine by which companies consistently outperform against objectives—and competitors.
Companies around the world spend more than $40 billion a year on leadership and talent development initiatives, but fall short in terms of returns on investment. BCG’s Debbie Lovich explains why this happens and how to address and overcome these challenges.
Companies that are able to effectively link value creation with capability building and talent development gain significant tangible value.
All the tech in the world is meaningless without the talent to put it to use.
Digital might sometimes seem like an enemy in the workplace, but you can make it an ally as you build an enterprise-wide learning ecosystem.
To promote agile ways of working, leaders must change their own behaviors.
SUBSCRIBE
DE
BCG uses cookies to improve the functionality, performance, and effectiveness of our communications. Detailed information on the use of cookies is provided in our Privacy Policy. By continuing to use this site, or by clicking "I agree," you consent to the use of cookies.