Books:
- The Office is Dead by Maryanne Spatola
“I enjoyed this book as it highlights how the pandemic amplified the need for leaders to lead in a different way. No longer could a leader rely on their ‘old ways’ of leading. The numerous interviews with Maryanne and leaders across the world made the material relatable, relevant and actionable.” – Shanna Goodell, head of global learning and development, Druva
- The Expertise Economy by Kelly Palmer and David Blake
“Based on experience with Degreed and as CLOs in previous organizations, the authors describe the shift in learning required to be competitive today. With chapters emphasizing the shift to personalized learning, peer-based instruction and focusing on skills development, there is much here for the learning professional to take in and improve their return on investment with talent development.” – Chad Millette, chief learning officer, Space Systems Command, USSF
- Thriving as a Woman in Leadership in Higher Education: Stories and Strategies from Your Peers by Elizabeth Ross Hubbell and Daniel Fusch
“This book provides theories, tools and strategies with practical tools that you can apply immediately. The insights, although focused on higher education, apply to all leaders in all organizations who want to grow and develop. Some sample topics include authentic leadership, the imposter voice, conflict management, leading and thriving as women of color and relationship building.” – Laurie Friedman, president, Strategic Business Consulting
Podcasts:
“This binge-worthy podcast is as entertaining as it is educational. Grant’s humor and storytelling not only inspire but leave you challenging conventional wisdom. He and his guests cover a wide range of topics such as motivation, leadership and creativity to more broad themes such as workplace culture. If you are an Adam Grant fan like I am, this is a must listen.” — Recommended by Amy Graft, ecosystem and learning operations, Siemens
“Ben Eubanks is one of my favorite thought leaders in the HR space, and his podcast is my favorite work podcast. He has great guests from diverse backgrounds and industries who discuss a different topic in our space each week. I learn something every time I listen!” — Recommended by Ben Sieke, director of talent development and learning, Delta Dental
Apps:
“It has helped me tremendously with improving my memory, increasing focus and feeling sharper with daily brain exercises. Brain-training apps offer benefits in terms of cognitive stimulation and help with overall brain health.” — Recommended by Claudia Cavallaro, learning and development leader, Intel Corp.
“The getAbstract app gives you access to thousands of great book summaries you can read or listen to on the road. It gives you the insights of each book in a very well-structured format that’s easy to read, and best of all, it gives you the main ideas of the book.” — Recommended by Juan Carlos Cuesta, director of business development, Gentres Talent Activation
Top quotes from our Talent Management Breakfast Club mini-event series:
- “One of the things I’m driving across the enterprise is how we are using artificial intelligence to help us get to the core of what skills are in our organization. What are the skills that we have? Where are the gaps? What do we do about it? Because historically, that was an impossible task. If you wanted to try and deconstruct what skills you had in an organization, by the time you even start making a dent, it’s too late. You’re behind the gap. AI is able to help us identify patterns and trends, so we can start to ask what skills we have and what we need to do to get ahead of the curve instead of always reacting two years behind.” – Christopher Lind, vice president and chief learning officer at ChemMed and advisory board member for Chief Learning Officer, AI and Machine Learning in HR: Transforming Talent Management Strategies Breakfast Club, Aug. 23, 2023
- “If you’re trying to make data-driven decisions, your DEI strategy should be driving what your data is. Very often, DEIB will look very different within your organization, so you need to identify what you’re trying to measure, what are your goals, and what you’re holding people accountable to and putting structures around that.” – Yasmine Laurent, founder and principal consultant at YJLaurent Consulting and chief operating officer at Movement Strategy Center, Driven by Data: Accountability Measures for DEI Outcomes Breakfast Club, May 17, 2023
What’s top of mind for talent professionals these days?
“A talent issue that’s been top of mind for me for a long time is the distinction between the knowledge, skills and attributes that are most effectively selected for and those that can be developed on the job. Making the right judgments about that can help make both selection and development as effective as possible, while positively impacting other key aspects of talent management like workforce planning, deployment, employee engagement and career planning. Maintaining a sharp focus on this critical yet often overlooked distinction can help our industry gain even stronger credibility while improving day-to-day results.” – Chuck Kovach, learning and organization development, Building Service 32BJ Benefit Funds
“We cannot escape from mentioning AI and machine learning; the disruptive potential of this technology is enormous. AI algorithms can do so much, from enhancing talent acquisition to assessing skill gaps, upskilling opportunities and improving data-driven decision-making. While the disruptive power and options may seem endless now, we have the responsibility to make ethical and responsible use of these new tools, ensuring fairness and transparency. We have come a long way in reducing bias in talent management, and we need to ensure the new technologies will bring more progress, not retrocession.” – Carlito Filgueira, head of operations, KAUST Core Laboratories
“Top of mind from a talent standpoint is that of job-person fit. When working with clients on both sides of the fence, I seek to discover relevant strengths and skills and to ensure those are aligned with the organizational culture and the role requirements. Often, the rush to fill a vacancy causes more headaches and more money. If we do the pre-work well and define with exactness what it really takes to excel and grow, finding the right person becomes a matter of clearly communicating expectations and opportunities.” – Nicole Parker-Beggs, founder and principal consultant, Meraki Consulting LLC
“DEI needs to be more than just a trend. Organizations wishing to attract the best talent need to widen their DEI efforts to include individuals living with disability. Organizations are missing out on an enormous pool of extremely talented individuals when they ignore people with disabilities. Disability inclusion is an essential part of any effective DEI strategy.” – Ken Meeker, CPC, owner, Vitality Career Coaching LLC
