“I can’t grow because I don’t have the right people.”
As leaders, we must find the right people, get them in the right roles, and have them working very well together. And we often have trouble finding good people. Here’s one good way to go: build a talent funnel.
Like a sales funnel, a talent funnel helps you track and nurture over time the relationships with people in your network who might someday join or take another role in your organization. Metaphorically, people at the widest part of the funnel are people you suspect might fit well with your organization but with whom you have not yet had conversations about that possibility. At the next level are people with whom you have explored the possibilities. Next come the people who you’ve spoken with about one or more specific roles. The final level contains people you are actively engaging to join your organization.
Fill your talent funnel with people you know (including people already in your organization) and the people who others in your network know. Follow a plan to stay in touch with everyone in the funnel. With your talent funnel in place, you can grow, take advantage of opportunities, and maintain your organization’s brand as one that gets it.
In your corner,
Mike
PS: If you like this idea and wonder if you could manage a talent funnel system, consider partnering with a progressively minded recruiting company. Work with them to build a system that helps you manage and keep private your talent funnel. They can augment your funnel with traditional talent searches as needed. They will earn fees for those searches and for helping you grow and nurture your talent funnel.
Today’s photo credit: El Bibliomata via photopin cc
2 thoughts on “Talent Funnel”
I like this idea – and I think it can also be applied within an organization to develop the talent that you already have. I think it would just work the same way – but you look at the skills that they have and the ones that they need to develop – and you think about succession for roles using some home-grown talent and augmenting with external folks where needed. That way, you keep your own staff engaged because they have a reason to stay.
Yes, without a doubt. The funnel includes people who are already with you.
Mike