What do you think?
Rate this book
Talent Magnet: How to Attract and Keep the Best People
There is a long-standing truth in the world of organizations: talent wins! But how do you attract the best people? What do they really want? Based on his rigorous and extensive research, Mark Miller learned that top performers are looking for very different things than solid contributors.
In Talent Magnet, Miller uses a clever and entertaining business fable to share these findings. He tells the parallel stories of Blake Brown, a CEO struggling with winning the war for talent, and Blake's sixteen-year-old son Clint, who is trying to get his first job so he can raise money to buy a well for a village in Africa.
Blake reaches out to leaders in other industries and works with his team to solve the puzzle of making his organization a destination for exceptional performers. But he also learns from his son. Listening to Clint and his friends compare notes on the companies they've worked for that summer, ranging from the awful to the inspirational, Blake realizes they want the same three things out of a job as any top performer in a Fortune 500 company.
Miller identifies these three critical aspects of a true talent magnet and explores the deeper meaning of each. He pulls back the curtain on what leaders can do to find and retain the very best people--a strategic need every leader faces.
In Talent Magnet, Miller uses a clever and entertaining business fable to share these findings. He tells the parallel stories of Blake Brown, a CEO struggling with winning the war for talent, and Blake's sixteen-year-old son Clint, who is trying to get his first job so he can raise money to buy a well for a village in Africa.
Blake reaches out to leaders in other industries and works with his team to solve the puzzle of making his organization a destination for exceptional performers. But he also learns from his son. Listening to Clint and his friends compare notes on the companies they've worked for that summer, ranging from the awful to the inspirational, Blake realizes they want the same three things out of a job as any top performer in a Fortune 500 company.
Miller identifies these three critical aspects of a true talent magnet and explores the deeper meaning of each. He pulls back the curtain on what leaders can do to find and retain the very best people--a strategic need every leader faces.
168 pages, Hardcover
Published February 27, 2018
31 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Mark Miller
25 books121 followersMy career at Chick-fil-A began over forty years ago as an hourly team member in one of the local restaurants. Shortly thereafter, I became the sixteenth corporate employee — my first job: working in the warehouse. Since that day, I have worked all across the business from starting our Corporate Communications group and our Quality & Customer Satisfaction Team to leading in Restaurant Operations, Training & Development, Leadership Development and more!
For the last twenty years, I have focused much of my time on serving leaders, helping them grow themselves, their teams, and their organizations. In addition to my role at Chick-fil-A, I’ve also had the privilege to teach and lead in not-for-profit organizations domestically and globally. Although the context is different in every organization, the problems have common roots and so do the solutions.
Along the way, I have been fortunate to author (and co-author) a few books – eight and counting. Today, more than a million books are in print in 25+ languages. My approach to writing has always been to find what is true in principle and figure out how to make it applicable to the real world.
For the last twenty years, I have focused much of my time on serving leaders, helping them grow themselves, their teams, and their organizations. In addition to my role at Chick-fil-A, I’ve also had the privilege to teach and lead in not-for-profit organizations domestically and globally. Although the context is different in every organization, the problems have common roots and so do the solutions.
Along the way, I have been fortunate to author (and co-author) a few books – eight and counting. Today, more than a million books are in print in 25+ languages. My approach to writing has always been to find what is true in principle and figure out how to make it applicable to the real world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 16, 2019
Feel like this book was written for old men, who should be retiring by now but still working and working as they are in the 20th century.
I like to write some takeaways and reminders from non fiction books so bellow are spoilers.
Take aways:
How can you make a difference in the company you work for? What is the bigger vision you have? How will you learn and grow in the company? Basics needs to be offered: fair wage, basic training, safe place, be respected, tools and resources, roles that interest them.
Is top talent attracted to different areas than normal talent? Basics, culture, brand/reputation, leadership, values/mission, impact on society, personal growth
How to attract and keep top talent?
Better boss- carrying about my long term goals; behavior demonstrate care, being seen/engaged;stayed engaged; competent/skilled/knows how to lead
Challenge and opportunity: - Job is a learning opportunity- must encourage and development- opportunity cost if not considered: couching, training, hard conversations. => no one said that people who have opportunity to grow in the company are less committed, by brining people to where they need to be and letting them grow gives the company competitive advantage, it is challenging and refreshing requires others to do better;
*** Importance to call out the best in people; hold opportunities in the organization it’s an organization talent not team
A story of induction: Importance of orientation especially how to be successful in business and career, teach them how to add value to others.
Vision and alignment to create productivity among teams; foster connection on the vision***, celebrate the impact
Summary: engaging leadership, clear vision and alignment to it, challenges and opportunities and celebration of the impact.
Use social media to tell the story; get your word out
Importance on how you talk to employees
I like to write some takeaways and reminders from non fiction books so bellow are spoilers.
Take aways:
How can you make a difference in the company you work for? What is the bigger vision you have? How will you learn and grow in the company? Basics needs to be offered: fair wage, basic training, safe place, be respected, tools and resources, roles that interest them.
Is top talent attracted to different areas than normal talent? Basics, culture, brand/reputation, leadership, values/mission, impact on society, personal growth
How to attract and keep top talent?
Better boss- carrying about my long term goals; behavior demonstrate care, being seen/engaged;stayed engaged; competent/skilled/knows how to lead
Challenge and opportunity: - Job is a learning opportunity- must encourage and development- opportunity cost if not considered: couching, training, hard conversations. => no one said that people who have opportunity to grow in the company are less committed, by brining people to where they need to be and letting them grow gives the company competitive advantage, it is challenging and refreshing requires others to do better;
*** Importance to call out the best in people; hold opportunities in the organization it’s an organization talent not team
A story of induction: Importance of orientation especially how to be successful in business and career, teach them how to add value to others.
Vision and alignment to create productivity among teams; foster connection on the vision***, celebrate the impact
Summary: engaging leadership, clear vision and alignment to it, challenges and opportunities and celebration of the impact.
Use social media to tell the story; get your word out
Importance on how you talk to employees
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2018
Insightful on staff leadership and recruiting
I enjoyed Miller's approach to communicating key truths in attracting and keeping top talent. Quick read with great principles on developing a great staff culture.
I enjoyed Miller's approach to communicating key truths in attracting and keeping top talent. Quick read with great principles on developing a great staff culture.
September 30, 2019
I don't know if it's just the audiobook that completely ruined this book for me, but I just found it utterly underwhelming. Some basic (key word) good ideas, but nothing that you couldn't get in an opinion piece and nothing that any business, small or large, would have not thought about.
This doesn't warrant being a book. An essay would have sufficed. It took too long to get to the point, more than halfway into the book do we get any actual discussion on what is needed to attract and retain talent.
Also, I am certain that the teenagers stories either never happened or were embellished to an extreme. First of all no teenager talks like that i.e. the way it was transcribed in the book and no teenager throws around terms such as "professional growth", "how will this job help me in the future?" etc. Definitely embellished (to put it politely). No statistics or vaguely referenced. I work on a project at work on acquiring and retaining talent and I realised that pretty much nothing of this book adds to my knowledge or the project itself.
In terms of the audiobook, I don't know what exactly makes male narrators think that female dialogue needs to be read out loud on a squeaky, high pitched and whiny pretend-female voice. It completely puts me off. Also, this book in hard copy was almost £15, so I bought the audiobook which was roughly £5.5. Best choice ever. Had I paid full price for this, I could have just burned the money.
To sum up this (awful) book:
- treat employees with respect i.e. don't throw something at them, pay salary on time, remember their names
- have company values e.g. donate to charities
- provide timely feedback
- offer opportunities for professional growth and the opportunity to learn.
Done, here, I just saved you £15 and a couple of hours of your life (yeah, it's that short). You're welcome.
This doesn't warrant being a book. An essay would have sufficed. It took too long to get to the point, more than halfway into the book do we get any actual discussion on what is needed to attract and retain talent.
Also, I am certain that the teenagers stories either never happened or were embellished to an extreme. First of all no teenager talks like that i.e. the way it was transcribed in the book and no teenager throws around terms such as "professional growth", "how will this job help me in the future?" etc. Definitely embellished (to put it politely). No statistics or vaguely referenced. I work on a project at work on acquiring and retaining talent and I realised that pretty much nothing of this book adds to my knowledge or the project itself.
In terms of the audiobook, I don't know what exactly makes male narrators think that female dialogue needs to be read out loud on a squeaky, high pitched and whiny pretend-female voice. It completely puts me off. Also, this book in hard copy was almost £15, so I bought the audiobook which was roughly £5.5. Best choice ever. Had I paid full price for this, I could have just burned the money.
To sum up this (awful) book:
- treat employees with respect i.e. don't throw something at them, pay salary on time, remember their names
- have company values e.g. donate to charities
- provide timely feedback
- offer opportunities for professional growth and the opportunity to learn.
Done, here, I just saved you £15 and a couple of hours of your life (yeah, it's that short). You're welcome.
February 15, 2018
In his latest book, given the growing need organizations have for talented people to sustain a competitive advantage, Mark Miller looks at what is really required to attract “Top Talent”. He tells us that what attracts and keeps Top Talent is different from what attracts and keeps typical talent.
I have read and benefitted from many of the author’s books. As is his custom, he teaches through an entertaining fable, much like those of Patrick Lencioni and Ken Blanchard. We meet Blake, the CEO of a successful high-performance organization. However, he has just been told by Human Resources that they will not be able to staff the company’s near-term plans, instead suggesting that Blake reduce the organization’s growth goals. You too may be dealing with this “war for talent”. This is not just a problem for Blake’s organization, as he realizes when he engages in a peer mentoring group of eight CEOs from a diverse set of businesses. Many, if not all, organizations are dealing with how to attract and keep talented people.
At the same time, for personal reasons, Blake’s son Clint desires to raise funds to buy a well in an emerging country. Clint and his friends decide to get summer jobs to raise the $8,000 to dig the well.
Blake wants his organization to become a Talent Magnet, a place so attractive, that Top Talent will be standing in line to work there. Blake and his team visit several organizations that have solid reputations for outstanding people to see if they can identify the primary motivations for Top Talent. Is Top Talent attracted by different factors than typical talent?
As this is occurring, Clint and his friends check out businesses that they are considering to work at that summer. As they do, they realize that they want
something more in those organizations, and they slowly begin building a list of criteria.
Blake and his team then begin working to clarify the components of a Talent Magnet and the key leadership behaviors/best practices needed. Is it possible that he can learn how he can create a Talent Magnet from his son Clint?
Mark Miller has done it again in this entertaining fable built on new research. Highly recommended.
I have read and benefitted from many of the author’s books. As is his custom, he teaches through an entertaining fable, much like those of Patrick Lencioni and Ken Blanchard. We meet Blake, the CEO of a successful high-performance organization. However, he has just been told by Human Resources that they will not be able to staff the company’s near-term plans, instead suggesting that Blake reduce the organization’s growth goals. You too may be dealing with this “war for talent”. This is not just a problem for Blake’s organization, as he realizes when he engages in a peer mentoring group of eight CEOs from a diverse set of businesses. Many, if not all, organizations are dealing with how to attract and keep talented people.
At the same time, for personal reasons, Blake’s son Clint desires to raise funds to buy a well in an emerging country. Clint and his friends decide to get summer jobs to raise the $8,000 to dig the well.
Blake wants his organization to become a Talent Magnet, a place so attractive, that Top Talent will be standing in line to work there. Blake and his team visit several organizations that have solid reputations for outstanding people to see if they can identify the primary motivations for Top Talent. Is Top Talent attracted by different factors than typical talent?
As this is occurring, Clint and his friends check out businesses that they are considering to work at that summer. As they do, they realize that they want
something more in those organizations, and they slowly begin building a list of criteria.
Blake and his team then begin working to clarify the components of a Talent Magnet and the key leadership behaviors/best practices needed. Is it possible that he can learn how he can create a Talent Magnet from his son Clint?
Mark Miller has done it again in this entertaining fable built on new research. Highly recommended.
April 18, 2022
1. Osoby najbardziej utalentowane (zawodnicy klasy A) zwracają uwagę przy rekrutacji na inne czynniki niż osoby mniej utalentowane.
2. Najlepszych pracowników przyciąga obietnica: lepszy szef, lepsza przyszłość, lepsza wizja.
3. Aby móc złożyć i dotrzymać tej obietnicy firma i przywódcy muszą cały czas pracować nad ich doskonaleniem oraz odpowiednio to komunikować i budować świadomość na zewnątrz.
--
Książka zawiera dwie równoległe opowieści. Pierwszą z nich jest historia Blake’a - dyrektora generalnego dużej firmy, który zmaga się z problemami kadrowymi i postanawia sprawdzić, co przyciąga do firm najbardziej utalentowane osoby. Druga to historia Clinta - nastoletniego syna Blake’a, który wraz z przyjaciółmi postanawia znaleźć pierwszą wakacyjną pracę.
Na początku taka forma wydawała mi się banalna i zbyt uproszczona jak na książkę biznesową. Natomiast w trakcie czytania doceniłem ją. Dzięki temu książkę naprawdę szybko się czyta (”wciągnąłem” ją praktycznie w jeden dzień). Poza tym autor dzięki tej formie sprytnie przeprowadza czytelnika przez swój proces myślowy. Mam wrażenie, że dzięki temu lepiej zapamiętałem przedstawione w książce tezy.
Czas na ocenę samych tez - lepszy szef, lepsza przyszłość, lepsza wizja. Na pierwszy rzut oka wydają się oczywiste. Nic nowego. Natomiast po poznaniu całego procesu dochodzenia do tych haseł okazuje się, że mimo swojej oczywistości nie są one zbyt często stosowane w praktyce. Większość firm poszukujących pracowników skupia się na swoich potrzebach. Najbardziej utalentowani pracownicy poszukują firm, które skupią się na nich - na wsparciu ich pracy, zapewnieniu możliwości rozwoju oraz dania możliwości wywarcia wpływu na otaczającą ich rzeczywistość.
2. Najlepszych pracowników przyciąga obietnica: lepszy szef, lepsza przyszłość, lepsza wizja.
3. Aby móc złożyć i dotrzymać tej obietnicy firma i przywódcy muszą cały czas pracować nad ich doskonaleniem oraz odpowiednio to komunikować i budować świadomość na zewnątrz.
--
Książka zawiera dwie równoległe opowieści. Pierwszą z nich jest historia Blake’a - dyrektora generalnego dużej firmy, który zmaga się z problemami kadrowymi i postanawia sprawdzić, co przyciąga do firm najbardziej utalentowane osoby. Druga to historia Clinta - nastoletniego syna Blake’a, który wraz z przyjaciółmi postanawia znaleźć pierwszą wakacyjną pracę.
Na początku taka forma wydawała mi się banalna i zbyt uproszczona jak na książkę biznesową. Natomiast w trakcie czytania doceniłem ją. Dzięki temu książkę naprawdę szybko się czyta (”wciągnąłem” ją praktycznie w jeden dzień). Poza tym autor dzięki tej formie sprytnie przeprowadza czytelnika przez swój proces myślowy. Mam wrażenie, że dzięki temu lepiej zapamiętałem przedstawione w książce tezy.
Czas na ocenę samych tez - lepszy szef, lepsza przyszłość, lepsza wizja. Na pierwszy rzut oka wydają się oczywiste. Nic nowego. Natomiast po poznaniu całego procesu dochodzenia do tych haseł okazuje się, że mimo swojej oczywistości nie są one zbyt często stosowane w praktyce. Większość firm poszukujących pracowników skupia się na swoich potrzebach. Najbardziej utalentowani pracownicy poszukują firm, które skupią się na nich - na wsparciu ich pracy, zapewnieniu możliwości rozwoju oraz dania możliwości wywarcia wpływu na otaczającą ich rzeczywistość.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2018
A Spoonful of Sugar for Leaders! More Than a Dose of Reality, Talent Magnet is Practical Wisdom for the Way Forward
Talent Magnet: How to Attract and Keep the Best People may be a quick read for on-the-go leaders, but it's chock-full of groundbreaking discoveries around what draws A-players to organizations. Rather than bore busy readers with complex data, Mark Miller weaves together a true-to-life story and game-changing leadership insights. He raises the question, and the bar, about what matters deeply to "top talent" based on the most recent research in this untapped arena. Let this book pull you in, and propel your team and organization forward, as you search for "the best of the best" in today's modern war for talent.
June 29, 2018
Top talent looks for different qualities in a place of employment than average talent. The problem is, most employers run their businesses, and market their open positions, in a way that is only attractive to typical talent. This book sets out to answer the questions, what do top talent look for in a job, and how do you become a business that is attractive to them?
Written in story format, similar to the works of Patrick Lencioni, but not quite as effective, this books starts out a little slow. It is in the second half of the book that you will find the information you are seeking. It will not be as profound as you had hoped, but it will be helpful.
I assume, if you are reading a book like this, you are probably a top talent worker yourself. In that case, you can let me know if the points made in this book resonated with you. A three-star rating seemed a little low, and four stars seemed a little high, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Written in story format, similar to the works of Patrick Lencioni, but not quite as effective, this books starts out a little slow. It is in the second half of the book that you will find the information you are seeking. It will not be as profound as you had hoped, but it will be helpful.
I assume, if you are reading a book like this, you are probably a top talent worker yourself. In that case, you can let me know if the points made in this book resonated with you. A three-star rating seemed a little low, and four stars seemed a little high, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.
June 20, 2019
A worthwhile story, a narrative in 2 parts. One showing how corporations go about strategizing to attract talent and the other a group of young employees try to decide what sort of organisation they want to be part of for the rest of their lives. This made me think about the type of career I want to have. It made me question my own attitude to the work I do and how I interact with my colleagues every day... I wish I had started this book at the start of 2019 instead of halfway through the year.
March 3, 2018
Each book Mark Miller writes is better than the previous one: and his first book is an international best-seller. His seventh book, Talent Magnet, communicates big ideas in easy to grasp ways. And the story--which actually has believable characters and a real plot--helps the ideas come to life in your mind. If you're looking for Top Talent (and every good leader is) then I recommend this quick, practical read.
May 4, 2019
Really easy read in the style of Ken Blanchard highlighting how to do what the title says. The message is very clear and there are very practical applications. One challenge that is difficult to address is that you cannot CHOOSE to care for your employees. And if you simply follow a list of instructions to appear as if you care, your efforts are likely to fall rather flat.
So, if you already care about your employees but want to get more focused in how you go about that, this is a great read!
So, if you already care about your employees but want to get more focused in how you go about that, this is a great read!
February 13, 2018
Mark Miller always has a way to express a thought process or concept. This book deals with the idea of attracting top talent to your organization or perhaps even being the top talent that wants to be attracted. The story telling approach is very helpful in breaking down the concepts in to simplistic terms for the reader. Great read and very thought provoking for anyone who seeks out top talent.
February 27, 2018
Another fun, straight to the point read from Mark Miller. I opened this book and did not put it down until I finished it about four hours later. This third book in the series is just as good as the first two and I recommend them all to leaders everywhere regardless of their field, interest or leadership style.
March 3, 2018
This book was so timely. Carrier Naval Aviation is in the middle of a massive fight for talent. More on the keeping the talent side of things but Talent Magnet proved to give a framework for leaders not HR folks to get in the fight. Better Boss, brighter future, and bigger vision. Told in narrative format made the translation to my situation easy and interesting.
March 14, 2018
This is one of millers GREAT works, love the conversational and story driving leadership lessons
Take aways: I suck as a leader, and haven't always considered the ways I could attract Top Talent in my organizations. THis will change. Using the 3B-A format we can find GREAT talent and lead our organizations into a truly successful future!
Take aways: I suck as a leader, and haven't always considered the ways I could attract Top Talent in my organizations. THis will change. Using the 3B-A format we can find GREAT talent and lead our organizations into a truly successful future!
February 21, 2023
It's a very easy bread read, the author tried to convey his message through an anecdote, a small story. The real point of the book comes at the end, the rest is just a story leading to that. I was contemplating between 3 and 4 stars, but I gave it a 4 because it's a good book for a junior worker - however may be boring for a senior leader. That's always subjective!
March 8, 2018
Talent Magnet is a great read for anyone in an organization. The story Mark shares, kept me engaged and communicated the principles that are necessary for your organization to become a talent magnet.
May 21, 2021
A little brief but good stuff
I am a big fan of all of Mark Miller’s books. This one has incredible insights that every team needs to implement but the story was too brief and truncated. Developing it more would provide richer insight and depth.
I am a big fan of all of Mark Miller’s books. This one has incredible insights that every team needs to implement but the story was too brief and truncated. Developing it more would provide richer insight and depth.
February 26, 2018
A fantastic parable on the important topic of staff. You get practical advice couched in a believable story. A must read for anyone who wants to recruit and keep superior talent.
May 23, 2018
Mark has prepared another excellent parable for leaders on what attracts and keeps top talent.
August 12, 2018
I loved this book! Simple read with a great message that will impact our business!
August 27, 2018
Key takeaways from the book - how to attract and keep the best people:
1. Better Boss
2. Brighter Future
3. Bigger Vision
1. Better Boss
2. Brighter Future
3. Bigger Vision
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2018
Simple, yet effective story. Cute little fable with a clear and relevant message.
November 24, 2020
Solid, short.
Business books with a story are always a coin flop, this one was good but not great. Good with delivering the message, weak at style.
Business books with a story are always a coin flop, this one was good but not great. Good with delivering the message, weak at style.
January 12, 2021
As author suggest, it's a first large scale research on top talent put into easy to read story of a CEO and his son. Interesting, helpful, informative.
February 2, 2021
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
July 30, 2021
I didn't quite like the presentation of this, essentially a storytelling situation. I like examples, but this was just reading someone's story and unfortunately, it didn't work for me.
April 28, 2022
I have never read a non-fiction book which discusses real-life business problems. It was relevant and very engaging.
February 12, 2023
I like this book. It gives an idea of how yo attract talented employees.
December 14, 2023
Great book.
May 12, 2024
Класна подача нонфікшну через історію та діалоги.
Загалом багато нового для себе не знайшла. Скоріше, книга допомогла сформувати та зібрати в купу думки про приоритети людей під час пошуку роботи.
Загалом багато нового для себе не знайшла. Скоріше, книга допомогла сформувати та зібрати в купу думки про приоритети людей під час пошуку роботи.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews