Editorial
Welcome to Courage Coach, where expert columnist Karin Hurt answers readers' tough leadership challenges with practical tools and techniques you can use right away. Have a question for her? Drop her a line!
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Dear Courage Coach,
I lead HR for a fast-growing start-up. The leadership team wants to do a formal talent review process for the very first time. It's a great idea — we need to think more strategically about our future. Quite frankly, right now the senior team all kind of looks and acts the same way.
But here’s the thing: I’ve got to help them change their mindset. Just using a formal process isn’t enough. I’m not sure we’re ready to trust the process. I think I’m going to need to lay down some ground rules.
I've heard some horror stories of talent reviews in immature teams that created more problems than they solved. What are some mistakes to watch out for? How do I set us up for success?
Signed,
Ready and Nervous
Dear Ready and Nervous,
Diving into your start-up's first formal talent review is super exciting! I totally get why you're jazzed about shaping a more strategic, inclusive future. And, yep, you’re right to think about how to get this right.
I’ve facilitated hundreds of talent reviews over the years, both in my corporate days and now with clients. I’ve seen how the movie can end without a good producer.
The 5 Biggest Succession Planning Mistakes
Succession planning, done well, gives you a brilliant competitive advantage. Poorly executed, at best it’s a waste of time, and can wreak serious havoc on long-term performance. So, let's chat about dodging those pitfalls to keep your talent review from turning into a cautionary tale.
1. Talking People Before Priorities
Before you can decide WHO is in your succession pipeline, be sure you are clear on WHAT you need. Think about the future and the critical competencies that will make that possible. Write them down. Then map your people against those possibilities. Choosing people for tomorrow based exclusively on today’s performance won’t work in this whirlwind of uncertainty and change.
2. Cloning
What often passes for “executive presence” is someone who looks and acts like the rest of you.
Be careful. Sure, you want poise, effective communication and a tidy, together look. But it may also be true that the quirky creative who marches to a different drum may be just who you need to take your strategy to the next level. Too many like minds lead to uninspired strategy.
Related Article: Courage Coach: How to Stop One Person From Dominating Virtual Meetings
3. Letting Diversity Trump Common Sense
If you complete your “ready now” list and it’s all guys in black tee-shirts with a sarcastic streak, you have a problem. The question is, what IS that problem? Take a hard look in the mirror for bias and discrimination.
Challenge one another to make it right. Sometimes, it’s another issue. It’s the recruiting and leadership development that is broken. You can’t make someone ready for the next level by talking yourselves into it.
Or worse, putting diversity multipliers on executive compensation which incent them to promote the diverse candidate just to hit a target. The worst thing you can do is pad your “grid” by sliding diverse candidates into blocks where they don’t belong. Sure, identify opportunities for accelerated growth to make up for lost time. But NEVER promote an unqualified person for diversity reasons. You hurt them, your business and weaken your diversity strategy.
4. False Consensus
You know you have a true high potential when every head at the table is chiming in with a resounding “Yes!” Not looking the other way when conflict arises. A succession planning conversation without conflict is useless.
The very best talent reviews involve robust discussion and lively debate which leads to important next steps (e.g. “You’ve got to know my guy better;” “She needs a stretch assignment.”) If you start playing games like “I’ll vote for your manager if you vote for mine," the business loses.
5. Ignoring the Plan
The worst succession planning sin of all is going through the motions, and then reverting to the old patterns “just this time” when it comes to promotion. No one will take your succession process seriously the next time. Don’t shortchange your talent strategy. The right people, at the right place, at the right time, will change the game. Be sure you’re prepared.
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Concluding Thoughts
Your initiative to implement a formal talent review process is a vital step in preparing your start-up for future challenges and opportunities. By being aware of common pitfalls and proactively addressing them, you can create a process that not only identifies and nurtures talent but also aligns with your company's strategic vision and values. Remember, the goal is to position the right people in the right roles at the right time, a critical factor in your company's ongoing success and growth.
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