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Talent Wins: The New Playbook for Putting People First
Radical Advice for Reinventing Talent--and HR
Most executives today recognize the competitive advantage of human capital, and yet the talent practices their organizations use are stuck in the twentieth century.
Typical talent-planning and HR processes are designed for predictable environments, traditional ways of getting work done, and organizations where "lines and boxes" still define how people are managed. As work and organizations have become more fluid--and business strategy is no longer about planning years ahead but about sensing and seizing new opportunities and adapting to a constantly changing environment--companies must deploy talent in new ways to remain competitive.
Turning conventional views on their heads, talent and leadership experts Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey provide leaders with a new and different playbook for acquiring, managing, and deploying talent--for today's agile, digital, analytical, technologically driven strategic environment--and for creating the HR function that business needs. Filled with examples of forward-thinking companies that have adopted radical new approaches to talent (such as ADP, Amgen, BlackRock, Blackstone, Haier, ING, Marsh, Tata Communications, Telenor, and Volvo), as well as the juggernauts and the startups of Silicon Valley, this book shows leaders how to bring the rigor that they apply to financial capital to their human capital--elevating HR to the same level as finance in their organizations.
Providing deep, expert insight and advice for what needs to change and how to change it, this is the definitive book for reimagining and creating a talent-driven organization that wins.
Most executives today recognize the competitive advantage of human capital, and yet the talent practices their organizations use are stuck in the twentieth century.
Typical talent-planning and HR processes are designed for predictable environments, traditional ways of getting work done, and organizations where "lines and boxes" still define how people are managed. As work and organizations have become more fluid--and business strategy is no longer about planning years ahead but about sensing and seizing new opportunities and adapting to a constantly changing environment--companies must deploy talent in new ways to remain competitive.
Turning conventional views on their heads, talent and leadership experts Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey provide leaders with a new and different playbook for acquiring, managing, and deploying talent--for today's agile, digital, analytical, technologically driven strategic environment--and for creating the HR function that business needs. Filled with examples of forward-thinking companies that have adopted radical new approaches to talent (such as ADP, Amgen, BlackRock, Blackstone, Haier, ING, Marsh, Tata Communications, Telenor, and Volvo), as well as the juggernauts and the startups of Silicon Valley, this book shows leaders how to bring the rigor that they apply to financial capital to their human capital--elevating HR to the same level as finance in their organizations.
Providing deep, expert insight and advice for what needs to change and how to change it, this is the definitive book for reimagining and creating a talent-driven organization that wins.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2018
182 people are currently reading
731 people want to read
About the author
Ram Charan
149 books214 followersRam Charan is an Indian-American business consultant, speaker, and writer resident in Dallas, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 27, 2018
I liked it. If you know McKinsey style of communication and the way the Firm operates you can understand the book content just by reading a memo. And that's fine. It's Harvard Business Review published book, dedicated for CEOs of top companies in the world. You can't expect them to read everything they see as they don't have time.
Main governing thought is: you need to attract top talent and managing it is the main challenge in current economy. Supported by these 3 thoughts:
1. You need to have "G3" suite of CxO level people, in this case: your CHRO needs to be at the same level of CFO. HR Chief needs to be strategically focused, have a helicopter view, rather than work on the processes. That's crucial.
2. Focus on 2% of your top talent. They drive the most growth and revenue to the firm.
3. Use cutting-edge HR tools to gain competitive advantage.
You can read about that in the first pages of the book, everything later are case-study supported proves it works.
If you're not CEO of at least 150+ people company (it would give you 3 people of your top 2%), then you may wait with reading that book. On the other hand, elevating your HR officer at the beginning may be a good idea for the future.
Book is short, brief and presents clear message. Recommended for 2 days read.
Main governing thought is: you need to attract top talent and managing it is the main challenge in current economy. Supported by these 3 thoughts:
1. You need to have "G3" suite of CxO level people, in this case: your CHRO needs to be at the same level of CFO. HR Chief needs to be strategically focused, have a helicopter view, rather than work on the processes. That's crucial.
2. Focus on 2% of your top talent. They drive the most growth and revenue to the firm.
3. Use cutting-edge HR tools to gain competitive advantage.
You can read about that in the first pages of the book, everything later are case-study supported proves it works.
If you're not CEO of at least 150+ people company (it would give you 3 people of your top 2%), then you may wait with reading that book. On the other hand, elevating your HR officer at the beginning may be a good idea for the future.
Book is short, brief and presents clear message. Recommended for 2 days read.
September 1, 2020
This book is a lot of words and very little content. Some good thoughts occurr sporadically- could have been condensed in less than 100 pages. Chapter 1 & 6 are quite useful- rest repetitive.
June 5, 2018
this book is mostly for CEO. it is interesting but not very practical for the middle managers.
July 2, 2023
I was in my MBA program when my CEO gave me this book to read, so it’s taken me a solid year of picking it up and putting it down… between classes and life. However, I made a lot of notes in the book to go back and re-examine or question my company’s and my department’s current processes and ways. I haven’t gone back and reviewed them yet, but I’m looking forward to doing so and seeing what I can practically apply now and look at in the future.
I would recommend CHROs to read this book, it’s meant for CEOs, but I think it gives good perspective.
I would recommend CHROs to read this book, it’s meant for CEOs, but I think it gives good perspective.
October 14, 2019
Both in manufacturing and software development, it is well-understood that the better way to deal with complexity and unknown unknowns is to forego rigidity in favour of flexibility. Agility gives an organisation the ability quickly to adapt and to survive/thrive in face of constant change. Why not do the same for the way we deal with talent in organisations?
February 11, 2022
I enjoyed the HBR article this book was based on. Ram Charan’s research and informative use cases were very high level and did not peer too deep.You can also tell the McKinsey influence based on the number of organizational cases that begin with “Based on a McKinsey survey”. Not very memorable but worth a read
May 8, 2021
Strong advocate for having HR lead companies along with the CFO & CEO
December 1, 2022
Not very applicable for low level managers. Interesting nonetheless.
Solid book from HBR.
Solid book from HBR.
May 29, 2018
It’s impossible to not take seriously the thought framework of these three professionals - and what they’re saying is that a talent-first CEO and organization isn’t a nice to have, it’s critical to succeed in the current climate. This will require a mentality shift within the entire C-suite.
There are so many recommended tactics I agree with, but three of my favorites:
1. Redefining the HR Business Partner role’s critical traits: intellectual curiosity, possession of business knowledge and a feel for how it makes money, insights when judging people and lastly - demonstrate willingness to be engaged in the business and COURAGE to have a point of view. How many HR BP’s at your organization possess these traits? The talent exchange of HR personnel in and out of the business seems clearly advantageous.
2. Forward thinking companies understand importance of HR Tech. investment, but older companies are slower to move on this front. People decisions cannot just be judgement calls, and technology to help gather and utilize timely data are key. Would you make judgement calls on other capital allocation decisions without the right data points? HR Tech. investment should be priority, and pilots should be utilized to determine the best platform for the organization.
3. The importance of the top 2%. Identification of this group, understanding that they come from throughout the organization and not just those whose are at the highest levels, and the right level of engagement and utilization of the group to help foster change. Conceptually simple but I think this group is under utilized to facilitate mindset shifts in large corporations.
There are so many recommended tactics I agree with, but three of my favorites:
1. Redefining the HR Business Partner role’s critical traits: intellectual curiosity, possession of business knowledge and a feel for how it makes money, insights when judging people and lastly - demonstrate willingness to be engaged in the business and COURAGE to have a point of view. How many HR BP’s at your organization possess these traits? The talent exchange of HR personnel in and out of the business seems clearly advantageous.
2. Forward thinking companies understand importance of HR Tech. investment, but older companies are slower to move on this front. People decisions cannot just be judgement calls, and technology to help gather and utilize timely data are key. Would you make judgement calls on other capital allocation decisions without the right data points? HR Tech. investment should be priority, and pilots should be utilized to determine the best platform for the organization.
3. The importance of the top 2%. Identification of this group, understanding that they come from throughout the organization and not just those whose are at the highest levels, and the right level of engagement and utilization of the group to help foster change. Conceptually simple but I think this group is under utilized to facilitate mindset shifts in large corporations.
November 13, 2019
Most executives today recognize the competitive advantage of human capital, and yet the talent practices their organizations use are stuck in the twentieth century
Typical talent-planning and HR processes are designed for predictable environments, traditional ways of getting work done, and organizations where "lines and boxes" still define how people are managed. As work and organizations have become more fluid--and business strategy is no longer about planning years ahead but about sensing and seizing new opportunities and adapting to a constantly changing environment--companies must deploy talent in new ways to remain competitive
Turning conventional views on their heads, talent and leadership experts Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey provide leaders with a new and different playbook for acquiring, managing, and deploying talent--for today's agile, digital, analytical, technologically driven strategic environment--and for creating the HR function that business needs. Filled with examples of forward-thinking companies that have adopted radical new approaches to talent (such as ADP, Amgen, BlackRock, Blackstone, Haier, ING, Marsh, Tata Communications, Telenor, and Volvo), as well as the juggernauts and the startups of Silicon Valley, this book shows leaders how to bring the rigor that they apply to financial capital to their human capital--elevating HR to the same level as finance in their organizations.
https://www.fahasa.com/
Typical talent-planning and HR processes are designed for predictable environments, traditional ways of getting work done, and organizations where "lines and boxes" still define how people are managed. As work and organizations have become more fluid--and business strategy is no longer about planning years ahead but about sensing and seizing new opportunities and adapting to a constantly changing environment--companies must deploy talent in new ways to remain competitive
Turning conventional views on their heads, talent and leadership experts Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey provide leaders with a new and different playbook for acquiring, managing, and deploying talent--for today's agile, digital, analytical, technologically driven strategic environment--and for creating the HR function that business needs. Filled with examples of forward-thinking companies that have adopted radical new approaches to talent (such as ADP, Amgen, BlackRock, Blackstone, Haier, ING, Marsh, Tata Communications, Telenor, and Volvo), as well as the juggernauts and the startups of Silicon Valley, this book shows leaders how to bring the rigor that they apply to financial capital to their human capital--elevating HR to the same level as finance in their organizations.
https://www.fahasa.com/
May 26, 2020
This was a quick and easy read for someone like me who delves into HR matters every day. The authors have not only made a strong case for making HR a top priority for success but also offered some very practical tools and techniques. One common theme that ran across the book is the criticality of CHRO's role and the need to elevate it to where it deserves - top 3, no less.
The authors argue with various examples the need to identify best 2% talent and nurture it, urgency of digital transformation of HR function, role of boards in helping reposition HR as a talent management partner, emergence of platform model replacing structures and hierarchies, importance of data in making HR decisions, need for diversity and collaboration, shift from performance review process to performance development system, M&A strategy in hiring, and role of CEO as chief recruiter.
The book makes you realize how much HR function is traditionally underplayed and how important, now more than ever, it is to bring it to the center of decision making. The authors convincingly pitch for building people-first organization if one has to compete and thrive in current times.
The authors argue with various examples the need to identify best 2% talent and nurture it, urgency of digital transformation of HR function, role of boards in helping reposition HR as a talent management partner, emergence of platform model replacing structures and hierarchies, importance of data in making HR decisions, need for diversity and collaboration, shift from performance review process to performance development system, M&A strategy in hiring, and role of CEO as chief recruiter.
The book makes you realize how much HR function is traditionally underplayed and how important, now more than ever, it is to bring it to the center of decision making. The authors convincingly pitch for building people-first organization if one has to compete and thrive in current times.
January 27, 2019
I love the idea of a G3 (CFO, CEO, CHRO), trust-building, and people-cultivation, and have recommended this book to many of my MBA students. I'm less enthused/sold on the how; radically disparate compensation introduces cultural concerns of inequality that go unaddressed, and it falls prey to results-focused thinking (v. rewarding actions that are good in themselves and may only inconsistently lead to valuable outcomes).
July 17, 2018
I loved the concepts presented on letting the ‘front line’ lead. I’m a big fan of the empowerment of all employees to own, improve and enhance now only their domain, but their team and business. First paragraph of P61 summarised this beautifully.
August 12, 2018
Another book stressing the need for a people first organisation.
September 3, 2018
Simple concepts for organizational and CHRO success
September 12, 2018
A compact and insightful read.
November 3, 2018
Read it if you are CEO only otherwise this is just for fun
March 30, 2019
Review to come! I have a gazillion tabbed pages to work through to synthesize my notes!
June 5, 2019
It was a great read. The G3 concept if the Org of the future. Bottom line is Talent willl be the differentiator of success
November 13, 2022
Really bad, repeating itself all the time. Almost quit reading it several times.
Want to read
October 2, 2024Gui BeWater
January 21, 2021
Thought provoking book for Reinventing HR
A thought provoking book making us lead initiative of reinventing HR. Must read Talent Strategies for all creative HR professionals.
A thought provoking book making us lead initiative of reinventing HR. Must read Talent Strategies for all creative HR professionals.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews