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Talent management is at the heart of HR concerns.<\/strong> Beyond high-potential profiles (HiPos), we will here speak of all the company\u2019s \u201ccritical populations\u201d: those to attract, develop, and retain, as they possess know-how and interpersonal skills necessary for the development and sustainability of the company. Many organizations, moreover, offer them \u201cTalent Programs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in retrospect, many regret disappointing results given the investment made: a feeling of wasted time, a rapid return to normal without deep change, or even the resignation of a supported executive. So, how to make these programs a truly profitable investment for all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOVE AWAY FROM A GLAMORIZED VISION OF LEADERSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A sanitized approach to leadership, quite far from reality, seems to be spreading. Some fashionable concepts, often described with set expressions, sometimes carry authority. A major mistake, because leadership does not have the same meaning from one company to another. Many organizations thus launch programs that are not adapted to their culture, operational values, or situation. Such standardized approaches are unlikely to provoke lasting engagement from the beneficiary, or a deep transformation of the company. There is therefore a prerequisite for the success of a Talent Program: avoid uniform logic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CONDUCTING A BUSINESS PROJECT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To allow leaders and talents to integrate and acquire the targeted leadership skills in line with the culture and challenges of the company, the consulting partner must necessarily challenge the project and its intention, assess its reality and feasibility, to build a tailor-made program adapted to the organization. This fine and objective reading of the company is an essential preliminary phase to define where one wants and can reasonably go through this \u201cTalent Program.\u201d It is therefore indeed a business project, and not merely an HR project, which involves the Executive Committee (Codir and Comex), as well as Business and operational departments. For this same reason, the program will be transversal, associating different BUs, to allow teams to work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CREATE A \u201cMOBILIZING TENSION\u201d FOR THE BENEFICIARIES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another often underestimated point: the real involvement of the participant throughout the program. Each must first understand why they were selected. Their identification is not recognition of a meritorious path, but an investment by the company in their profile. It is therefore necessary to be perfectly clear about what is expected of them. Stating the objectives will avoid many misunderstandings, linked to the perception of a \u201cprivilege\u201d or, conversely, of exaggerated expectations. Keep in mind that such a program, as it unfolds over a significant number of days, some off-site, strongly mobilizes the participant. It is important to establish an appropriate rhythm, so it does not appear as an additional burden or even counterproductive. Its content must therefore take into account participants\u2019 time constraints, in order not to negatively impact the proper functioning of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dynamic, the program must offer a constant circulation between theory and practice, allowing beneficiaries to experiment in their daily work what they have seen during a session of the program. Individual milestone meetings will allow, at regular intervals, to review acquired skills and work on continuous development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SUCCEEDING IN THE CRUCIAL LANDING PHASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Attention given to closing the mission is as fundamental as that given to its preparation. Feedback from all stakeholders is essential. This feedback will allow for additional support for certain beneficiaries, or to improve a future program. It happens that some of them, although very satisfied with the program, are disappointed by the lack of conclusions drawn or the absence of planning that results. The \u201cTalent Program\u201d is in reality a long-term project, which goes beyond the performed mission. It aims at acquiring techniques, reflexes, and keys to understanding situations. Participants have first learned how to learn: they remain \u201clearners,\u201d but equipped with a foundation on which they can evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stakes of a \u201cTalent Program,\u201d which justify the financial and time investment, therefore require not limiting oneself to a one-off, stereotyped, and vertical intervention. The Consulting Partner is primarily an \u201cassembler,\u201d who will articulate personalities and collectives, seek to mobilize all stakeholders concerned within the company, and finally operate within the proper timeline, from upstream to downstream. Only under these conditions will the program be a success for the company!<\/p>\n\n\n\n