Managers – are you talent miners and talent champions? The talents of staff are a principal business resource. Identifying, developing and deploying them are accomplished management skills that can make a major contribution to top-line performance.

Two key aspects of talent management lie outside formal performance and personal development processes. One of them, often neglected, is the recognition of potential capabilities of staff and the putting in place of measures allowing them to be expressed. As the management writer Marcus Buckingham identified, it is often more beneficial to bring out capabilities that exist rather than trying to put in those that are absent. Recruitment alone is unlikely to result in a complete complement of necessary skills. Capabilities mean any attribute that can benefit the organisation whether in direct operational work or support functions. Individuals may directly demonstrate their potential. But they may not do so prominently– and a special ability of skilled managers is to recognise potential that may be evinced only by small signs. What aspect of the work does an individual enjoy? What are they most interested in? What pleases them? What are their self-management skills like? What aspects of the business do they complain (and therefore care) about? Do their outside interests provide a pointer? The recognition of such indicators is a continuous management responsibility: performance management should not be made up solely of isolated management-staff interactions. Crucially there may be opportunities, once potential capabilities are identified, to modify the duties of job roles – or even to create new roles – to allow the capabilities to be developed and fully expressed. The result: better operational efficiency and likely wider benefits to teamwork, motivation and morale. Crackerjack management!

The second aspect is the management of star performers. They are often a vital contributor to business success. Possessing high skills alongside self-starter and innovation abilities, they consistently get results. In mainstream tasks their contributions may often be more than three times higher than the mean level. In demanding and special circumstances, it may be comparatively off the scale. It is the manager’s responsibility to keep these individuals in roles where they can make the most telling contribution. But maintaining their performance levels may be a distinct test of management skill. Pragmatism and effective navigation through group dynamics are likely to be required. The accustomed principle of treating individuals in the same way may have to be put aside to a degree. Star performers must be told by management that their contribution is recognised and valued. They should be provided with unswerving support even when they make good-faith mistakes. Understanding their motivations may not be straightforward. Stars are very likely to value autonomy and novel opportunities. Some like formal recognition and outward signs of status. But it is unwise to believe they are all unconcerned with direct material rewards. Limited tolerance towards staff with lesser skills may be evidenced by them which may generate tension. Their peers may be jealous of their abilities and treat them disrespectfully. Repeated and carefully weighted interventions by managers may be required.

So managers – make sure that those staff capabilities are expressed! Emperor Nero had some wisdom- he said ‘hidden talent counts for nothing’.