From talent warfare to competence nurturing: the latest challenge for corporate HR

Fragility: a reminder that current systems have a more or less obvious breaking point, which, given the interconnectedness of systems, can cause domino effects.

Anxiety: if stress is the pressure of the present, anxiety is the worry about the future which, once it exceeds a certain intensity, leads to widespread malaise, feelings of helplessness and burnout phenomena.

Non-linearity: the complexity of systems no longer accepts the application of linear, algorithmic and simplistic thinking. Reading trade-offs, reading context and understanding the ecology of actions are fundamental to understanding the system.

Incomprehensibility: for Jamais Cascio we are faced with a paradox where the dizzying and exponential increase in the amount of information produced and accessed makes reading the context even more difficult and incomprehensible.

In this new scenario, I am convinced that the concept of 'War of Talent' must be transformed into 'Nurturing of Competence'. This is not only because the word 'war' always conjures up negative imagery, and in these years it sounds even worse than usual, but above all because talent can bring with it two dangerous biases: talent understood as 'something innate', dropped from the sky, and talent as an attribute present only in the youngest segments of organisations.

Competence nurturing is a continuous process, a way of rethinking the competitiveness of one's own organisation, which passes through four decisive junctures:

1) Sharpen the blade, vertically and horizontally.

Organisations will have to identify their mix where meta-skills, such as complexity management and emotional intelligence, are integrated with technical and vertical skills that are fundamental to the business. And, quoting Stephen Covey, they will need to keep the blade sharp with life-long learning programmes.

2) A good start...

The entry of a person into a company is a crucial moment. Emotions, expectations, skills of the newcomer have to be integrated into an often complex and articulated new system. We cannot think that a nice thermal water bottle or a mouse pad with the company logo, however much in vogue and displayed on social media, is the answer. Creating moments of listening, both formal and informal, mentoring and tutoring dynamics are essential in order not to dissipate the potential of new recruits.

3) Psychological safety

Bias kills competence, undermines personal self-efficacy and the flourishing of a system's potential. In an organisation that promotes, supports and maintains psychological safety, people will feel more inclined to share their thoughts and projects, feel more confident in exposing themselves and coming up with innovative ideas. Psychological safety is the soil where competence flourishes.

4) Integration with the outside world

In recent years we have witnessed the growing development of platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr that connect those who offer their expertise, usually freelancers, with those who need it, very often companies but also other professionals. In the near future, platforms such as these will increase and probably evolve into their own, true DAOs (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations), which will provide companies with expertise, advice and knowledge, becoming highly specialised competence centres. Companies will have to be able to establish relationships that are not speculative but collaborative and true partnership, integrating internal expertise with external expertise.

*Consultant Newton Spa