Andrew Wojecki

What happens when HIPOs let you down?

In the training gig, working with 'high-potentials' is one of the treats of the craft. These workers usually are open to learning, highly motivated, extremely sharp, passionate, and can envision how and where further development will take them.

But I'm having a curious case with two 'high-potentials' that leaders have pinpointed to me, regarding their engagement with our formal training programs. One is not coming at all, and the other only rarely. The first has a young child, I can cut some slack. The other doesn't.

Today after a Lunch and Learn, the one in question came up to me asking about our Harvard ManageMentor program. In closing the session, I was strongly encouraging a greater uptake of participation. This individual came up to me asking, "Andrew, is it okay if we just do the 20 minute overview? Is that good enough." I went on to explain that I didn't think our business had invested in the Harvard program for everyone to take the 20 minute shortcut, and mentioned that, in my experience, I hadn't seen anyone deeply develop their leadership skills through shortcuts. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Requiring alot of deliberate practice. Our conversation continued where I offered alternative solutions in which to approach completing the two hour module. But I could tell this person wasn't convinced.

Would I be disappointed in any individual wanting to take the shortcut - in seeing that as a sign of completion of the module? Yes. But for some reason given that I know this person is seen and valued as a HIPO, it's nagging at me.

This now creates an opportunity to do some investigating and some relationship building, on my part. It's good to be reminded (and often) of the differing values and perceptions we have to the affordances of learning.

What changes will emerge through this downturn in how we manage our work, ourselves, and others?

As Prof. Lynda Gratton sees it recessions are the perfect time to really gain and develop one’s business knowledge, as this is the time where innovations emerge out of not necessarily out of desire, but sheer necessity. Following along the lines of Gary Hamel’s work with The MLab, Gratton sees opportunities in how we can innovate and drive forward new management practices and mental models that have remained largely unchanged since the rise of management practices from the 1950s.

What past recessions have taught us:
•    1981-1982 – ended the notion of a ‘job for life’ and gave rise to the knowledge worker as the ‘free agent’
•    1990-1992 – globalization and the sourcing of cheaper talent ‘elsewhere’

Gratton sees two fissures for possibly innovating the work of management. The first is in the evolving notion of distributed leadership, or tasking the work of decision making amongst more individuals, than fewer. A direct challenge to the prevalent command and control model in use over the last century. As she writes, “This is a fissure in the norms of organizational life that could well lead to the acceleration of a more democratic and decision-making process and the idea that leadership can be held by a wider group of people.”

The second fissure is the role of virtual teams. With the rise of technologies and current travel restrictions for many businesses it is becoming difficult to justify the large travel budgets organizations face. This helps us call into question two assumptions on the notion of ‘work’, a) that you have to meet face to face everyday to get things done and b) that if working at home they slack off. Both of these myths have been overturned. If people have meaningful, well-structured work schedules and tasks they can complete the required work without the discipline of the office.

For training professionals this current context provides opportunities to focus in the areas of change management, managing and working in virtual teams, meeting facilitation, and leading and motivating others. Having a conversation with my VP of HR the other day we were discussing the role of mental health awareness to focus on the anxieties and emotions individuals and teams might be experiencing, and the skills necessary in being proactive and attune to any particular experiences employees may be experiencing.  I think it also presents opportunities to be proactive in organizational design activities and generating solutions to support our business leaders.

In thinking about innovating management practices, what training and development practices must be rethought?

Got talent? Will you after the downturn?

In the December 2008 McKinsey Quarterly there is an article on Upgrading Talent through the economic downturn. All L&D folks should be quaking in our boots as we know the first thing our CFOs and executives are looking to cut is us - much to the businesses long-term detriment. This is a time for us to be emboldened, proactive, and fearless in communicating and reinforcing our messages on what our value propositions are to the business.

However, in these tenuous times there are many opportunities for us to optimize our impact on talent management. Some key points from the article:

• Job redesign - rather than the tendency of just lumping more work on everyone's shoulders, is there a way to engage workers in redesigning roles and responsibilities addressing the business needs, while engaging and seeking solutions with employees? Where employees become engaged and feel a sense of ownership to the changes and increasing demands and expectations being placed upon them?
• Innovating the L&D function - in what ways does limited resources help the learning function to seek creative ways to enhance and connect employee development at all levels. For example, in my case, through a downturn, senior executives might be more easily persuaded to be engaged in leading learning. Helping to accelerate a Leaders as Teachers initiative I'm currently working on.
• Performance Management - are you and your leaders asking the rights questions? What's the critical talent and competencies you can't lose? Which ones will take the longest to recover or retool? Which talent drives the greatest business value today? Which will drive the greatest business value in three years?

In these times, organizations' brands are truly put to the test - both internally and externally. How we treat talent in these times will have a great impact on our brand's strength when accelerating out of the downturn.

As the first sentence in the article suggests, "Downturns place companies' talent strategies at risk." But it also provides opportunities in establishing new processes, redesigning work and role functions, enhancing organizational cultural practices, breaking down silos and building internal talent marketplaces, and enhancing the business brand.

Let's get to work.......