Across the Talent Pool

“If you want your child to be brilliant read them fairy stories. If you want your child to be a genius, read them more fairy stories” – Albert Einstein

Evidence suggests that the ability of leaders to tell stories can be a key ingredient for business success. Why? Because those power point presentations are simply not enough. A story reaches deeper into us, connecting with those profound archetypes found in legends and fairy tales across the centuries. Telling fairy stories is not normally an activity associated with management, but our good leaders do just that. Listen carefully at the next planning meeting. If you leave motivated, then the presenter has probably used metaphors, personal experience and stories to tap into that much deeper and more personal space within you. Rather than relying solely on passing information to your rational mind he or she has touched the part of you that resonates with enduring myths and tales told since the dawn of time. There is an inordinate amount of wisdom contained in stories – and a deep understanding about the human condition, and indeed the organisational condition – that links into the very heart of true leadership. Joseph Campbell, the great authority on the story writing, takes us through the essential stages of any great myth: including preparing for the journey; setting out; meeting and fending off danger; achieving success; and eventually returning triumphant. We have all listened to stories, told our children more than a few, or watched great films with a similar approach at the core and, yes, we do apply those frameworks to successful business lives.

So, if you are all sitting comfortably, a short story to take us into our subject here …

Strolling through the woods on a warm sunny day a young man came upon a beautiful pool. Clear and translucent, it had attracted a crowd of visitors. Across the water, no more than 50 metres away, the crowd became animated, chattering, fingers repeatedly pointing at the water where movement stirred, breaking the surface of the water, colours appearing at the surface, flashing in the sunlight. It was exhilarating, bustling; excitement pulsing through the crowd. People strained to spot the beautiful fish lured by the floating bait, and nets began to appear. A beautiful koi carp was lifted from the water and placed in a holding tank.

It all seemed important and significant, yet for some reason the young man wasn’t drawn to that side of the pool. Instead he walked over to a different part, overgrown, a fallen log in the water, sunshine struggling to penetrate the canopy of trees. There was no noise here except the sounds and smells of nature; very different yet somehow more real. Sitting down on the bank, leaning against a tree, the young man felt relaxed and sensed a connection to something bigger and broader than himself.

Looking into the dark, still water he saw no more bright, translucent fish. Instead, other fish swam gently beside the bank. Solid brown carp, all shapes and sizes, young and old, appeared and disappeared, occasionally coming to the surface to catch an insect. Though not as pretty, nor probably as valuable, as their koi cousins, these fish were in other ways just as important. Certainly they were part of the whole pool, part of all the fish in the lake.

The young man sat watching and wondered, why was no one interested in these fish? They looked graceful,strong, sure, solid, and they brought a calmness and a reassurance to him as they swam in the cool water. Was it their colour, where they lived in the pool, or perhaps their size? It did not make sense to him.

Across the pool the people had gone. Little remained of their fishing trip, bar some litter, trampled grass and muddy footprints. Over this side of the pool the fish continued to swim and as he watched there seemed more of those strong brown carp everywhere.

For the future success of our organisations we have to select key people with the ability to drive the business forward. We have to make choices; the life blood of business is at stake. The quality, the integrity, the capability of our people is central to everything we do. So, we rightly spend money and huge amounts of time and energy to secure the right people.

Yet many organisations bemoan the lack of quality leaders coming through. There is too much change and not enough resource, so the identified high performers are often stretched to breaking point and beyond. The talent pool seems fished out, but do we look at the other side of the pool? What about those other key people who, year in year out, bring regular good results? They are not always quite so confident, outspoken, perhaps. Initially they may be reluctant to articulate change and take others with them. Yet, in their own way, they do just that. Projects are delivered, budgets met. Yet somehow these people slip through the talent net. Perhaps many of them actually choose to do just that, preferring the tangibles of operational delivery to the expectations and the exposure of the corporate development dance.

Are we missing something here? Why don’t we invest in these people? Why are they in some way forgotten, passed by in the rush, and often neglected? Our organisations are changing. We can no longer rely on the few ‘galacticos’ to see us through; we need everyone, all the talent we have available. Hierarchical structures are no longer as effective as they used to be. Much of the work is now accomplished through matrix approaches or info rmal networks. That means involving everyone, both the highly talented and those who always keep the ‘wheels on the bus’, enabling the business to keep moving forward, mile by mile.

What would happen if we targeted resource and development at these people? How much potential is available but untapped? This must be worth investigating. At a minimum we motivate those people, but better still, we might just find the tipping point for major change. A change that might build more success over the long term because it is deeply rooted in the organisational culture and lived by the people; a legacy that they can proudly pass on to their successors.

So, we’ve told you a story and shared a paradigm around talent that we think needs to change – no longer relying on the selected few, but seeing more in the potential of many. The koi are important … but so are the carp!

Returning to our original theme, leaders please do tell us your stories. Share your highs and lows with us – engage us completely. We don’t only want well trained, honed, glossy professionals. Yes, those skills are essential, but as important, is the journey that has shaped you, the dragons you have met and slain, the princes and princesses you have rescued. The tough times, the good times: these are the essence of business life. Your stories can and will take the performance of others to a new level.

 

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