Chapter 9: Talent Management
employees requires an “organizational learning capacity” based on solving problems
and learning new ways not previously used. Encouraging them to pass their knowledge
on to others is the basis for a learning organization.
Corporate Universities and Career Development Centers
Large organizations may use corporate universities to develop managers and other
employees. To make corporate universities more effective, these programs need to
E-Development
The rapid growth in technology has led to more use of e-development. Online
development can take many forms, such as video conferencing, live chat rooms,
document sharing, video and audio streaming, and Web-based courses. HR staff
VIII. Management Development
Although development is important for all employees, it is essential for managers. Without
appropriate development, managers may lack the capabilities to best deploy and manage
resources (including employees) throughout the organization. While classroom training
Chapter 9: Talent Management
A. Supervisor Development
At the beginning level for managerial development is the first-line supervisory job. It is
often difficult to go from being a member of the work group to being the boss.
Therefore, the new supervisors who are used to functioning as individual contributors
often require new skills and mind-sets to be successful supervisors.
Human Relations Training
Human relations training attempts to prepare supervisors to deal with “people
problems” brought to them by their employees. The training focuses on the
development of the human relations skills a person needs to work well with others.
Most human relations programs are aimed at new or relatively inexperienced first-
line supervisors and middle managers. They cover motivation, leadership, employee
Chapter 9: Talent Management
B. Leadership Development
Organizations are aware that effective leaders create positive change and are important
for organizational success. Leadership development is expanding a person’s capacity to
be effective in leadership roles. This development occurs in many ways:
• Classroom programs
• Assessments
Modeling
Managers learn by behavior modeling, or copying someone else’s behavior. A great
deal of human behavior is learned by modeling. Management development efforts
Coaching
Effective coaching requires patience and good communication skills. Coaching
combines observation with suggestions. Like modeling, it complements the natural
Chapter 9: Talent Management
Management Mentoring
A method called management mentoring is a relationship in which experienced
managers aid individuals in the earlier stages of their careers. Such a relationship
provides an environment for conveying technical, interpersonal, and organizational
skills from a more-experienced person to a designated less-experienced person. Not
only does the inexperienced employee benefit, but the mentor also may enjoy having
the opportunity and challenge of sharing wisdom.
Executive Education
In an effort to decrease turnover and increase management development capabilities,
organizations are using specialized education for executives. This type of training
includes executive education traditionally offered by university business schools and
C. Problems with Management Development Efforts
Chapter 9: Talent Management
Many of the management development problems in firms have resulted from inadequate
HR planning and a lack of coordination of HR development efforts. Common problems
include the following:
• Failing to conduct adequate needs analysis
Critical Thinking Challenges
1. Discuss what talent management is and why it is a consideration addressed by a
growing number of employers.
Talent management is concerned with the attraction, development, and retention of
human resources. Over half of all HR professionals reported the establishment of
talent management initiatives. The importance of talent management is seen as more
2. Describe the broad range of talent management efforts that use software applications
used these applications.
Many employers have websites that have a careers section. These sections may be
used for many purposes, but providing a listing of open jobs for current employees and
others is one of them. Sites also can be used for career assessment, information and
3. How has the increase in uncertainty in business affected the “make-or-buy” decision,
and is this trend likely to change?
Students’ answers will vary, but in general it is cheaper to make talent than to buy it so
the uncertain economic situation will probably increase the number of firms looking to
4. Design a management development program for first-level supervisors in an electric
utility company. What courses and experiences do they need?
The usual topics for supervisor training and development are basic management
5. You are the HR Director of a large manufacturing company that is approximately
50 years old. The company has reaped the benefits of a mostly tenured workforce,
and many of the key workers are now approaching retirement age. It is anticipated
that approximately 20% of the company’s workforce will retire in the next three to
five years. You are also planning to retire within that period of time. To assist the
company with the retirement transition process, you want to present a business case
to the President for a succession plan for several key positions, including the Chief
Financial Officer and Director of Operations.
A. Which outside company advisors should be included in the succession planning
process?
B. The successor employee for the replacement of the Chief Financial Officer and
Chapter 9: Talent Management
Director of Operations positions should have an advanced level of work
experience in what key essential functions? How can the company help
candidates get these experiences?
Case
Walgreens Scores Victory with Volunteers
1. Why was it good for Walgreens to get input from volunteers?
Reliance on volunteers will help identify important skill sets and create the kinds of
2. Why was it necessary to rely on employee blueprints to enhance career management in
the company?
Developmental “blueprints” were developed by employees so that individuals could
3. Why was it important to familiarize individuals in other business functions of the
organization? How should this approach help Walgreens?
By familiarizing the individuals in other business functions of the organization,
Walgreens adopted the practice of job rotation. This could prove to be a development
Chapter 9: Talent Management
Supplemental Cases
Leadership Leverage
The case demonstrates how a healthcare company utilized talent group to better manage
the development of employees. (For the case, go to
1. The top managers are very busy people. Why was it necessary to involve them in
leadership leverage?
It is important to involve top managers because their “buy in” is significant to the
2. The program took 5 years to get to the end point. Is that realistic, or did it take too
long? Explain why the timing may vary?
This was a large organization with 6,834 employees and includes a wide diversity of
3. Would you let the names of the high-pos out to the rest of the organization? Why or
why not?
Students’ answers may vary. I think it will be obvious to many employees and
managers which 60 employees are taking part in the special high-post development
Chapter 9: Talent Management
Equipping for the Future
This case shows how one company in the oil industry started a succession planning
1. Discuss how NOV’s efforts combine different phases of talent management to reach a
successful result.
NOV starts with focusing on recruitment and selection with its broadening recruiting
2. What are some of the possible advantages and disadvantages of the “draft approach”
to placing candidates in business units?
An advantage to the “draft approach” to placing candidates is that candidates know
they have a choice of business units to work for and they would be highly motivated to
Developed Today, Gone Tomorrow
This case illustrates a serious concern some employers have about developing employees
Questions
1. As Ezra’s manager, what would you do to retain him?
It is clearly indicated in the case that Ezra is a “high–potential” individual (or a high-
pos) of the firm. One of the ways for Ezra’s manager to retain him is to have Ezra
Chapter 9: Talent Management
2. What changes would you recommend in the educational aid program?
The employer always runs the risk of employees choosing to leave with the valuable
Comments
A real problem exists in this actual situation, but not quite the one defined by Ezra’s
manager. The problem is threefold in that the company is:
(1) Allowing the “developed” people to get away from the firm (as a result of 2 and 3
below)
(2) Having a rather unplanned approach to management development
(3) Failing to provide jobs into which the “developed” employees can move