Talent Engagement Exercise
Jack Welch believed effective talent management could be achieved by dividing employees into three groups: the top 20%, the middle 70%, and the bottom 10%. He used this approach to identify top talent and provide them with challenging professional assignments early in their careers.
While team leaders often know "in their gut" which employees are strong performers, a simple analysis can help you know why they are doing well and where you can help them to develop. The use of a Talent matrix tool can make the assessment process very powerful.
This exercise is designed to give you practical experience in using a Talent Matrix to analyze your employees’ performance, as well as their alignment with the organization’s mission and values. For each employee, you will assess their performance, consider how well they align with core values of the organization, and identify areas for improvement or professional development.
Sample Solution
Jack Welch's talent management philosophy Jack Welch was the CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 2001. He is widely credited with transforming GE into one of the most successful companies in the world. One of Welch's key philosophies was that effective talent management is essential for organizational success. Welch believed that employees should be divided into three groups: the top 20%, the middle 70%, and the bottom 10%. The top 20% of employees were considered to be "A players." They were the high performers who were essential to the company's success. The middle 70% of employees were considered to be "B players."Full Answer Section
They were the solid performers who could be counted on to do their jobs. The bottom 10% of employees were considered to be "C players." They were the low performers who were not meeting expectations. Welch's approach to talent management was to focus on the top 20% of employees. He believed that these employees were the key to the company's future. He gave them challenging assignments, provided them with opportunities for development, and rewarded them for their performance. Using a talent matrix to assess employee performance A talent matrix is a tool that can be used to assess employee performance. It is a grid that plots employee performance against alignment with the organization's mission and values. The vertical axis of the talent matrix measures employee performance. It can be divided into three categories: high, medium, and low. The horizontal axis of the talent matrix measures alignment with the organization's mission and values. It can also be divided into three categories: high, medium, and low. To use a talent matrix, you would first need to assess each employee's performance. You would then need to assess each employee's alignment with the organization's mission and values. Once you have completed these assessments, you would plot each employee's score on the talent matrix. The talent matrix can be a valuable tool for identifying high-performing employees who are aligned with the organization's mission and values. It can also be used to identify employees who need development or who are not a good fit for the organization. Using the talent matrix to identify areas for improvement or professional development Once you have used the talent matrix to assess your employees' performance, you can use the information to identify areas for improvement or professional development. For example, if an employee is performing well but is not aligned with the organization's mission and values, you may need to provide them with training on the organization's values. Or, if an employee is not performing well but is aligned with the organization's mission and values, you may need to provide them with training or development opportunities. The talent matrix can be a valuable tool for improving employee performance and helping employees reach their full potential. By using the talent matrix, you can identify employees who are high performers, employees who are aligned with the organization's mission and values, and employees who need development or who are not a good fit for the organization. Here is an example of a talent matrix:| Performance | Alignment | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| High | High | Star |
| High | Medium | Rising Star |
| Medium | High | Solid Performer |
| Medium | Medium | Average Performer |
| Low | High | Underachiever |
| Low | Medium | Problematic Performer |