Although the project was a lot of work, it was also extremely rewarding. For the consulting firms involved -InnoPersonas (where I work) and Gestiona- it was really motivating to be able to have an impact on the human resources policies of the small- and medium-sized companies who took part in the project. We met with people who were enthusiastic and great to be around, with a real desire to switch over to new ways of doing things, and implement more flexible and open policies. A group of true professionals!

The project aimed to bring about a greater degree of professionalism in management practices, reinforce leadership, and kickstart innovation. It comprised the following phases:

1. An analysis of the key factors in the SMEs related to talent management (all the staff took part in this). In order to carry out this analysis, we looked at various aspects of innovation and the development of talent, such as: diversity, co-creation, collaboration and horizontal structures, participation, transparency, self-management, freedom, recognition in the workplace, and an orientation to innovation. We also considered policies to attract and develop talent, commitment to the job and personal motivation. We used a questionnaire consisting of 25 questions, with a choice of answers which didn’t allow respondents to sit on the fence. The combined results of the 18 companies which took part in the project were as follows (marks out of 10):
   -Factors which favour talent: leadership (6.81), climate (6.91), company culture (6.93), strategy/innovation (6.88).
   -Structural factors relating to talent: remuneration (5.14) and overall organization/interdepartmental organization (5.74).
2. Talent management workshops, identification of opportunities for innovation with the board of directors, and a follow-up analysis of the feasibility of implementing these opportunities. A summary of the best practices which were identified in the project was communicated to the SMEs. We looked at eminently practical concerns, such as: the “why” of talent management, an analysis of the diversity present in teams, an overall analysis of the role of talent in the business world: I want/I can/action; facilitating factors, obstacles and catalysts for talent; individual and collective feelings, and the nature of the talent currently available in the companies; and an overall diagnosis of each company, etc. We also worked on having a vision of the future, the appropriate behaviour to harness talent, progressing from having talented individuals to having talented teams, etc. All the workshops were very much hands-on and highly practical.
3. We supported the whole process through counselling sessions. The information obtained from the questionnaires and workshops enabled us to shape these sessions. (There were three sessions in all, most of the time broken down into one face-to-face session and two over the phone.) The sessions focused on help which was tailor-made to the needs of each person in order to bolster a change in their habits, consolidate what had been learnt in the workshops, and determine a future plan of action.

As part of the project we developed a 2.0 collaborative platform focused on sharing the best practices. All the users could write their own blog and had their own inbox to receive messages. They also had their own personal profile, and the chance to take part in online forums and discussions, set up their own debates, and upload and manage documents and their own social network. Throughout the project InnoPersonas kept the platform fresh and lively by posting articles and a wide range of information about talent management.
Conclusions
- It is not easy for the SMEs who took part in the project to introduce major changes in their organizational structure or implement significant improvements in their human resources policies: most of the companies we worked with are stretched to the limit and simply do not have the time to implement far-ranging changes. When we examined the viability of introducing talent management policies in SMEs, we realised that this objective was too ambitious; before contemplating the implementation of such policies, SMEs need to have developed a genuine 2.0 human resources environment. In short, as a necessary first step SMEs need to improve their overall human resource policies and adapt them to the needs of the company.
- In view of the current low level of job rotation in the marketplace, it is almost impossible to ascertain whether the companies who took part in the project are retaining staff because of improvements brought about by the project, or merely because of the general (un)employment situation.
- Communication is the standout area for improvement in all the SMEs who took part in the project; also very high on the list of “could be better” is the management of conflicts between departments, and innovation in processes, systems and structures.
- The areas where employees feel most satisfied are the flexibility given to them, the atmosphere at work, and the equality of opportunities which they enjoy.

InnoPersonas

“The role of the company chairman and CEO in the 21^st century will be to provide a vision and to choose the best people.”

Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric (1980-2001)

1. Time and resources! The first commandment: your job will be to devote yourself body and soul to nurturing talent in your organization.
2. Talent strategist: You will carry out an in-depth analysis of the needs of your company in terms of the talent required, the skills needed, and the level of commitment and performance sought. Furthermore, you will determine the value which the company gives to its employees; in other words, you will determine the reasons why someone decides to start working -and subsequently to keep on working- for the company, and the benefits which this person perceives the company gives him.
3. The Casanova factor: You will be in regular contact with the main sources of talent available to you (universities, professional bodies, associations, your competitors), and you will be well-known to them. In addition, you will clearly communicate your company’s strong points. In a word, you need to seduce potential employees.You also need to be flexible about where you look for talent. It stands to reason that if your company is looking to innovate, it won’t want to hire a series of clones; and it is equally the case that you won’t put together a diverse team if you only hire engineers who go to “X” university and come top of their class.Seduction has to run through everything you do (in the area of talent management…). So you can say goodbye to the old, tried and trusted ways of hiring people, and start to use your imagination. How about putting out some more creative ads when looking for new people? Why not ask applicants to mention on their CVs their hobbies, any voluntary work they’ve done, the sports they play, and the trips they’ve been on? After all, if you want to know who you going to hire and what type of person they are, you will want to go beyond just their academic qualifications,.
4. Keeping tabs on talent: You will keep up-to-date with movements in the market and will be on the lookout for possible manoeuvres by your competitors. What’s more, these days you need to be more alert than ever: the Internet has made communication and job-seeking much easier and quicker for everyone- your own staff included.
5. A connoisseur of talent: You will select people based on their abilities, level of commitment and their potential. An employee who is committed to his company will be motivated to contribute ideas and feels part of the organization. Does your selection process take into account candidates’ psychological potential to commit themselves to the company? In addition, you will need to take on a range of different people if you want to innovate, and you’ll also need to be very flexible. Bear in mind that the genuinely talented professional is very demanding and may ask you more questions in the job interview than you ask him! If this happens, it’s actually a good sign: this type of person knows what he wants, and he realises that he is in a position to choose precisely because he is very good at his job.
6. A trainer of trainers: You will use the plans which the company undertakes as a means towards staff development. You will make sure that your organization does not have glass ceilings, and that people are able to develop professionally in their jobs, without waiting to be promoted. You will also participate in the identification of possible candidates for promotion and in making sure they receive the appropriate training.
7. A builder of commitment: You will build a protective moat around the company so that people do not want to leave. You will do this by having an appropriate style of leadership, by gradually changing the prevailing company culture if there are problems in that area, by promoting a good working atmosphere, and by making sure that salary levels are fair within the company, and in comparison to your competitors. Of course, we always have the best of intentions in this regard- to lead well, to pay well, a good company culture, etc. But, as the Bible says: “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew, 26: 41). In view of this, you need to evaluate the current situation objectively, and then to take the appropriate stops to remedy any shortcomings detected: for example, by developing leadership skills through coaching programs, by initiating a change in the company culture, or by reviewing salary scales. And don’t lose sight of the ultimate aim of all these actions: to reinforce the commitment of your staff.
8. A natural problem-solver: When a member of staff does not perform as well as expected, you will analyze the causes and consider a variety of solutions, which can range from changing the employee’s responsibilities so that he can better develop his abilities to terminating his relationship with the company, if this proves to be necessary.
9. A catalyst for getting everyone involved: In order to carry out all of these tasks, having the support of senior management will not be enough; you will also need to get all of the company involved; you will need to clearly communicate the initiatives you are putting into practice, ask for suggestions, and ask your staff to recommend people from outside the company when you are looking to take on new personnel.
10. A negotiator up to the last minute: Why not have a friendly chat when someone decides to leave the company? This will enable you to find out first-hand the real reasons why the person wants to leave (provided that he’s not excessively diplomatic) and, in the course of the interview, you may find an opportunity to make him a counter-offer and persuade him not to leave. You’ve got to find this last-ditch effort an exciting challenge, like Michael Jordan who loved the dying seconds of the game so much that people talked about his “love affair with the buzzer.” He made game-winning shots on the buzzer on no less than twenty-five occasions!

So, do you feel ready to be a Manager of Talent? And to manage your own talent?