Talent Management | Talent Vanguard

Apr 22

Context is Key

“He’s a rockstar” “She’s brilliant” “He’s a good guy”

Whether we’re dividing people into INTJs and ENFPs, High Ds or Cs, or placing them on a 9-box grid, we love our categories. I’ve been reflecting on this over the last week, sparked by a presentation delivered by Mathieu Baril of DDI at HR Leaders Summit West. Baril’s presentation challenged traditional thinking on High Potential programs, suggesting that we need to broaden our definition of potential and recognize the individual bias at work when we go about identifying so-called Hi-Pos:

“We tend to underestimate the role of context in performance. Performance is less portable then we think.”

Jan 21

1 Comment

What Drives Your People?

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

If you’ve interviewed in the last decade or so you’re likely to have heard this question.

I’ve always I struggled with answering it because it seems to demand performance rather than honesty. How can I know where I’ll be in 5 years? At a Neko Case concert? Spending too much money on tea? Trying to salvage my last contact lens from the sink drain? These are the very few constants in my life…

I think that well-meaning interviewers and managers ask this question to try to get a sense of what someone wants. What their aspirations are. How they see the narrative arc of their professional lives unfolding.

Sep 4

3 Comments

The One Thing You Should Know About a Career in HR

I’m doing really well at the saddest goal I’ve ever set. This year, after an honest assessment of where my time was going and a realization that I was consistently overcommiting myself, I faced facts and stopped doing some things. Chief among them was that I stopped going for coffee with people just because they asked me to.

Aug 14

Did We Create the “Passionate Quitter”?

If you had to choose between two employees for your organization, both solid performers, one deeply passionate about their work and profession but who will leave within 3 years, and the other who is looking for a long-term career with your company but sees this work as “just a job”, who would you pick? .

If you chose the passionate employee who’s likely to move on soon, why? I’m not suggesting that this choice is wrong. But I am curious about the reasons behind it.

May 8

Feelings at Work (& the Bullshit Industrial Complex)

A weekly post in which I share thoughts provoked by (some of) the great content I came across this week(ish).

Mar 12

HR by Engineers and Glamourizing the Gig Economy

A weekly post in which I share (some of) the most thought-provoking content I read this week(ish), which I am too lazy to write full blog posts about.

Mar 5

1 Comment

Evidence Based HR, New Manager Death Spiral, and Cognitive Biases

A weekly post in which I share (some of) the most thought-provoking content I read this week(ish), which I am too lazy to write full blog posts about.

Feb 13

1 Comment

My New Role at Actionable.co

2017 is off to an exciting start for me, with a new role as Head of People for Actionable.co. I never take the decision to move jobs or organizations lightly, and I already know that I’ve made a great choice. I believe in the change that Actionable is bringing to learning and development, and the team they’ve built to achieve that mission.

Feb 12

Productive Conflict is an Obligation

A weekly post in which I share (some of) the most thought-provoking content I read this week(ish), which I am too lazy to write full blog posts about.

Jan 29

Org Change and Mental Health

A weekly post in which I share (some of) the most thought-provoking content I read this week(ish), which I am too lazy to write full blog posts about.