Become Strategic With Talent Management

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Consider how you've spent your time today—has it been intentional and strategic or reactive and tactical? In my research with 400 talent management leaders, one of the primary challenges identified is the difficulty maintaining a strategic versus tactical perspective. The activity treadmill of everyday work can keep us busy but not necessarily effective. Meetings, emails, and fire drills can consume most of our calendar, leaving precious little time for strategic thinking—that is, assessing our current situation, determining the three to five most important goals, and then developing strategies to achieve them.

Consider how you've spent your time today—has it been intentional and strategic or reactive and tactical? In my research with 400 talent management leaders, one of the primary challenges identified is the difficulty maintaining a strategic versus tactical perspective. The activity treadmill of everyday work can keep us busy but not necessarily effective. Meetings, emails, and fire drills can consume most of our calendar, leaving precious little time for strategic thinking—that is, assessing our current situation, determining the three to five most important goals, and then developing strategies to achieve them.

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My talent manager study produced some interesting findings that shed light on the challenge of moving from a tactical to strategic position:

My talent manager study produced some interesting findings that shed light on the challenge of moving from a tactical to strategic position:

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  Only 44 percent of organizations have a universal definition of_strategy_.

  Only 44 percent of organizations have a universal definition of_strategy_.

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  Just 24 percent of organizations teach strategy skills.

  Just 24 percent of organizations teach strategy skills.

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  About 64 percent of talent management leaders identified strategic thinking as the most important leadership capability for senior executives.

  About 64 percent of talent management leaders identified strategic thinking as the most important leadership capability for senior executives.

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  When it comes to strategic thinking and planning, talent managers have an opportunity to lead within their organizations. How often do you lead strategy conversations with your key internal stakeholders, such as the vice president of marketing, VP of sales, or chief information officer? What framework do you use to facilitate these conversations to ensure that you are seen as a true strategic partner to the business? Which strategic thinking and planning tools does your team use on a quarterly basis as part of your strategy tune-up?

  When it comes to strategic thinking and planning, talent managers have an opportunity to lead within their organizations. How often do you lead strategy conversations with your key internal stakeholders, such as the vice president of marketing, VP of sales, or chief information officer? What framework do you use to facilitate these conversations to ensure that you are seen as a true strategic partner to the business? Which strategic thinking and planning tools does your team use on a quarterly basis as part of your strategy tune-up?

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  To ensure your team is elevating its thinking from the tactical weeds of the business to a higher strategic perspective, you can employ the 3A Strategic Thinking Framework.

  To ensure your team is elevating its thinking from the tactical weeds of the business to a higher strategic perspective, you can employ the 3A Strategic Thinking Framework.

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  Each_A_ in the framework represents a different a discipline:

  Each_A_ in the framework represents a different a discipline:

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  acumen—generating insights on how to create and deliver new value

  acumen—generating insights on how to create and deliver new value

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  allocation—configuring your resources (time, talent, and budget) by making trade-offs

  allocation—configuring your resources (time, talent, and budget) by making trade-offs

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  action—prioritizing activities to align with goals.

  action—prioritizing activities to align with goals.

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  This framework can serve as a powerful tool to trigger a strategy transformation from a once-a-year event to a daily habit for you and your team. Getting off the activity treadmill can begin with the acumen question: What's the new value this activity or initiative will create for those we serve? If you can't answer this question, then you shouldn't spend time on that activity.

  This framework can serve as a powerful tool to trigger a strategy transformation from a once-a-year event to a daily habit for you and your team. Getting off the activity treadmill can begin with the acumen question: What's the new value this activity or initiative will create for those we serve? If you can't answer this question, then you shouldn't spend time on that activity.

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  Once you've identified the acumen or new value, ask the allocation question: How should we focus our resources to deliver this new value? Remember, great strategy is as much about what you choose not to do, so you'll need to establish priorities and—just as important—deprioritize things. After determining how to allocate your time, talent, and budget to deliver the new value, create an action plan outlining the what, who, and when to establish accountability for the initiatives.

  Once you've identified the acumen or new value, ask the allocation question: How should we focus our resources to deliver this new value? Remember, great strategy is as much about what you choose not to do, so you'll need to establish priorities and—just as important—deprioritize things. After determining how to allocate your time, talent, and budget to deliver the new value, create an action plan outlining the what, who, and when to establish accountability for the initiatives.

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  As a talent management leader, you're in the perfect position to create a highly strategic organization. Does your team have the strategic thinking and planning capabilities to realize that potential?

  As a talent management leader, you're in the perfect position to create a highly strategic organization. Does your team have the strategic thinking and planning capabilities to realize that potential?

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  Read more from CTDO magazine : Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.

  Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.