Is talent in short supply? Or is it something else?
I was on a call with a group of leaders at a company where I’ll be leading a Retention Roundtable. That’s my program where I bring a cohort of leaders across the company together to build capacity to retain and motivate their people.
In a heated back-and-forth discussion, one of the leaders exclaimed, “Well, talent is in short supply, so I wonder if anything we do anymore really matters.”
The conversation moved forward quickly, leaving the statement to stand as a truth. I should have responded in the moment, but I didn’t. But I will, because it’s not true.
Talent is NOT in short supply.
People may be in short supply in our workplaces, but talent is not.
What I know from speaking to thousands of people in companies around the world is that the depth of talent—skills, abilities, gifts and superpowers—inside our teams and companies is endless.
Our people’s talents shouldn’t be limited by job descriptions, KPIs, or by a leader or manager who’s given up.
What’s in short supply is our time, energy, and skills as leaders to unearth new talent inside our existing team.
What’s in short supply is our patience and creativity to think differently about what our work can look like with the people we have, rather than longing for the people we don’t.
What’s NOT in short supply are the tools to help an everyday leader be the leader people don’t leave. It’s all learnable, and doable, even within busy work and personal lives.
If you’re a leader ready to make the most of the talent on your team, schedule a consultation with me here.