Managing talent is a cornerstone of an effective sales organization. Best-in-class companies need to attract top talent, but even more importantly, they need to be able to retain their top performers. In a recent Forbes blog post Contributor John Bersin (Bersin & Associates) reports that organizations are increasingly turning to technology to help them manage talent. The talent software market has grown to more than $4 billion and is expected to increase at least 15% this year. But Bersin points out that software can only do so much when it comes to improving talent management. Managing information should be just one part of your overall talent strategy.
We couldn’t agree more. We also think recruiting, on-boarding, coaching and retaining top talent is not just a function of human resources. It is a crucial component to the success of your entire sales organization. Sales managers need to participate in their own rescue by developing an effective strategy for talent management. It’s vital to building a high-performing sales team. Having a consumable repeatable method to how you are attracting and retaining talent will help you lower turnover rates, increase time-to-productivity and ultimately increase your revenue. How do you effectively manage your talent? Here are five things top employees want from their managers:
- Give me clear direction
- Listen to me
- Let me know how I’m doing
- Help me learn
- Give me a sense of purpose
It sounds so simple - and it is - yet managers often don’t respond this way. What are you doing to help make sure you are hitting these benchmarks with your team?
