Your #1 Source to Develop Your Talent: YOU!

It seems every day I read an article or blog regarding the American workforce readiness.  People supposedly are unprepared for work, people cannot read sufficiently, math skills are terrible, and the list rambles on.  I am hardly Methuselah, but I have been around long enough to know issues today are not new.  The issues today influence the economy and business differently, but it has not changed over the years.

Probably the single largest mistake made by business today stems from not reacting to solutions, or not recognizing solutions exist.  Without trying to write a novel, look into your own practices for solutions.  How are you managing your talent today?  How are you developing your talented people?

I learned early in my military career how to reach into my bag of “wisdom” (a.k.a. experience) and develop those talented people in my group.  I realized at some point I would be moving on.  At the point I moved on, someone should be prepared to step in.  I did not expect my replacement to duplicate my efforts, but I did expect they would move ahead.  I expected they would inject their experiences into the processes and develop talented people in the group behind them.  How should we think we evolved to today?

I am not referring to your entire workforce, although this has applications.  Let us concentrate on your talented people you consider as your replacement, your new partner, your trusted agent.  In other words, your “Mini-Me.”

Consider yourself their role model.  You are the example of what you want leading and managing your business.  The term “Mini-Me” is a stretch, but the idea is having someone you can mold into the leader/manager you are, with the vision to help those talents develop into bigger, better, and more modern leaders/managers.

Who else could better develop the talent you want than “you” could?  If you send your talent to training, should we be so foolish as to think the training group knows “you?”  Even when those people return with fresh ideas, to think “one size fits all” only causes “everyone to have fits.”

Develop from within by being the role model for which to run your business, not the competitors, not your partners, but YOU.  Your talent development will go much smoother with you as the role model.

Handicap Spoken Here

Discussions surrounding inclusion and diversity normally overlook those challenged physically and mentally. When diversity originated as race relations, we overlooked many citizens by ignoring anything except Black and White relationships. Honestly, it was perhaps America’s defining moment in better understanding among people of differences. Since then we included other races, sexual preferences, and religion. Veterans are now introducing a new phase that we completely ignored for many years – that of the challenged citizens.

Recently, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Perry, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry. The gallant act cost Sgt. Perry his right hand during combat operations. This act of bravery will follow Sgt. Perry for the remainder of his life. At some point Sgt. Perry becomes Leroy Arthur Perry, private citizen. Many will forget his name and without his uniform he fades with the glory of the moment as many Medal of Honor recipients do.

War is as unpleasant an event as any I can recall. While not on a battlefield, I served in the
Navy and know the anxieties at my level onboard a ship distanced from the ground activity. I know their anxiety is many levels higher, but aside from the anxiety and memories, there are other challenges facing our warriors. These challenges brought to the front challenges for those inheriting genetically created handicaps. I hope this serves as a catalyst for everyone, but I cannot help but believe the veterans will lead the way.

Recent legal actions brought about by an individual, who reports refer to as an activist, noted an auto sales business not affording needs for handicapped customers, or for handicapped employees (the employer had yet to hire handicapped personnel.) Many local citizens questioned the “activist’s” purpose in filing legal actions with other sales operations in the city. Sometimes it takes a while for things to sink in. Watching Sgt. Perry activated my thinking.

Without handicap parking, how would a potential employee or customer feel about the operation/company? Handicap does not play to the extremes. There are aging, genetic, and performance injuries that do not “prevent” employment necessarily, nor the purchase of an automobile. I could not understand why a business ignored potential customers, but this particular business missed the point.

Every organization should make every attempt to include our challenged citizens at every opportunity. Adapting/adopting every opportunity to bring customers to the business, and potential employees comfort/ease of access should be both promoted and advertised. Again, our military members bring their leadership from the front to confront an otherwise less visible community.