Internal Talent Management

How internal talent management keeps you competitive

We need the right people sitting in the right seats.

If you’re familiar with the phrase, then you know it’s all about finding the right talent fit for your organization. This discussion shifts from the external focus to the internal talent management process. The reality is that we don’t always have the right people sitting in the right seats when we decide to get serious about the process.

So… What now?

Well, you have a few options.

Using internal talent management to fight “fit” problems

First, you can do what most companies do. Nothing. Just cover your ears, close your eyes, and hope it gets better with time.

Good luck with that.

Second, you can sit down with the person and have an open, honest conversation about the mismatch of skills and job requirements. It might be that the employee wasn’t aware of the split and wants to make it right. Conversely, it might come out that the employee is not willing or able to bridge the gap but could still work elsewhere within the organization. If they are a good worker, this could be a win-win-win (for your team, the employee, and the team they end up joining).

The last option, termination, is usually viewed as a last resort. Let’s look at it from a different perspective, though. Maybe the person isn’t a fit with the culture overall. Keeping them around, training them to do the job better, or moving them to another position isn’t going to fix the poor culture fit. In that situation, helping them to see that it’s not going to work out and offering to assist them with transitioning to another organization would be a great way to maintain goodwill and open up a slot for candidate who actually fits. Dale Dauten calls this process “de-hiring.” The end result would be more positive for each party involved, and it isn’t as painful as everyone expects the process to be.

Do you have the right people in the right seats? If not, what are you doing today to make sure that internal talent management is a priority within your organization?

Want more? Check out the free employee performance management guide!