Google “Strategic Talent Management” and you will come up with about 2 million hits. The discussion about STM is reaching a fevered pitch online, in blogs, and at conferences.  Approaching talent from a strategic perspective is more than just a hot topic. It is a significant evolutionary step up from “Employees First” or “People Are Your Most Important Asset” perspectives. STM puts the emphasis back where it should be – on strategy – and driving the business strategy with a focused workforce strategy.

Is your company evolving, taking a strategic approach to talent and adding to the STM discussion?  I thought it might be enlightening to answer this question by describing what STM is NOT so here is my list of Top Signs That You Are NOT Taking A Strategic Approach To Talent.

1. You can’t clearly describe the link between business strategy and your talent strategy.
2. You don’t know the roles that provide the greatest Return on Improved Performance for your organization.
3. You haven’t defined the leadership competencies critical to strategic success.
4. Top leaders are not held accountable for talent management objectives.
5. You don’t regularly conduct robust, objective talent reviews to determine if your organization is capable of executing the strategy.
6. Talent assessments focus on just on the top of the house and not several levels of the organization.
7. You don’t know in which leaders to selectively invest to get the biggest bang for your buck.
8. Talent development doesn’t involves challenging jobs, assignments and projects but focuses mostly on training.
9. Poor performance is tolerated.
10. You don’t have measures in place to track the impact of talent management practices.
11. Mission critical positions are not filled exclusively from within the organization
12. Your talent management processes are not integrated, aligned and differentiating.

If you’d like to read more about signs of Strategic Talent Management, check out this whitepaper on my website.