In Larry Israelite's book Talent Management, case studies from six leading companies-Cisco, McDonald's, Avon, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Ciena, and Liberty Mutual-offer compelling evidence that talent management matters:

• At Cisco, talent management plays an important role in the strategy for transforming both the organization and the business.

• A corporate turnaround strategy and a series of tragedies reinforced McDonald's need for an intense focus on talent, resulting in a strong leadership pipeline and strong business performance.

• The Avon strategy for managing talent has become a key lever in implementing the most radical restructuring process in the company's 122-year history, resulting in significant improvement in effectiveness.

• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is meeting the challenge of record-breaking growth in the pediatric population through an integrated people strategy.

• Ciena Corporation demonstrates the value of a structured approach to talent management and the importance of thought leadership about learning for companies of all sizes.

• Comprehensive talent management practices have played a strategic role in the continued success Liberty Mutual Group has enjoyed for more than a decade.

For more, get chapter 1 from Talent Management.