The challenge of delivering high quality, effective and efficient public services in a tighter fiscal climate is not only a considerable one, but one of many dimensions. It demands, among other things, talented management, the ability to improve performance across the board, and it will test the effectiveness of many a top management team.
Addressing the first of these key aspects the Forum in partnership with the Hay Group had a CEO Breakfast Session* that focused on this important strategic leadership and people issue: talent management.
Chris Watkin led the session and the question he posed was: With somewhere between half and three quarters of senior managers due to retire within the next few years, will we have sufficient leadership capacity and how do we manage the talent we have and will need?.
In his half hour Cook's tour, Chris talked about a number of issues such as: the need to identify talent in a purposeful way; to devise a 'talent strategy' which complemented the ethos and goals of the organisation; and about the employee value proposition this represented. Reflecting on the issues and the need to act in a connected and co-ordinated way, he posed the further question of what made an organisation an attractive proposition for talented people. And whether, with the notion of a virtuous circle in mind, it was organised and directed in a way that would enable it to be successful. Chris cited a virtuous circle of a talented and committed workforce creating successful organisations and successful organisations attracting and retaining talented people.
Chris is the Hay Group UK practice leader on talent management with a particular focus on executive assessment, strategic talent reviews and leadership development. He has a BSc and MSc in Organisational Psychology. Chris works with a large number of UK and global clients on talent management issues.
Chris Watkin's Presentation: Copies of Chris Watkins's presentation are available on request. Contact Kim McKnight, (T) 02890 542966
*The next Sessions in this series will deal with Improving Performance (28 May 2008) and Top Team Effectiveness (25 June 2008): Brochure.
