Good people are hard to find, especially when you do not know what you are looking for. In recruiting we often use the phrase “Searching for Top Talent.” It is important to recognize the difference between talent and skill. While skill is something that is learned over time, talent is something I believe you are born with. Do you know the difference between a skilled person and a talented person? Do you have talented people that work for you now? Are you helping your talented people develop to their full potential?
What is Talent?
First, how do you find talented people for the job? Many companies use personality tests to try and determine if a candidate is the right fit for the position. In sales, we are always looking for that “Type A Personality,” but is that really the best fit? In her book Wired That Way, Marita Littauer describes the personality of a Phlegmatic, the opposite of a “Type A” person, which she calls a Choleric. Phlegmatics are described as good listeners, steady workers, mediates problems and are good under pressure. These are all skills that are a great benefit to anyone in sales. We have all met cheesy salesmen who talk way too much. Some of the best salesmen that I have ever met have failed these personality tests. I would venture to bet that if these companies retested their top sales force, many would not make the cut. So the question remains, how do we find top talent if not by personality tests?
There are many forms of talent, whether they are entry level or senior executive—talent that can be showcased in many forms. Take an entry level candidate with limited experience and look at what they have done up until now. Were they captain of a high school sport? Were they involved in a fraternity or sorority? Did they work through school? When looking for talent, you are looking for previous success; LeBron James is not the best basketball player in the NBA because he was born with a certain skill set. When he was born, he was not given the ability to dribble a ball, make a slam dunk, or shoot free throws. What he was born with was talent, a talent of determination, the ability to win and the ability to train hard to achieve the skills he has today.
Once You Find Talent, How Do You Develop Skill?
Two CEOs are talking, and one says to the other, “What happens if we spend all that time and money on our employees and then they leave?” The other CEO responds, “What if we don’t train them and they stay?” I am not sure where this story originated but it couldn’t be truer. You have to invest in training your employees. All skills are learned. So what skills are you teaching your employees to sharpen? Now I realize a certain skill set is required for a position and I am not denouncing that fact, but I am a firm believer that every employee has to be trained. If you have hired a talented person that has shown previous success in learning a new skill, then your efforts will not be wasted.
Hopefully you will now be able to determine the difference between skill and talent. This should make the search for “Top Talent” a little easier. Also I hope you continue to invest in your current employees by offering them training seminars, guest speakers, quarterly reviews, and conversations about where they want to take their career. Remember, people do not care what you know till they know how much you care. Take an interest in helping them sharpen their skills and your company will surely benefit.
