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The War for Talent

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In 1997, a groundbreaking McKinsey study exposed the "war for talent" as a strategic business challenge and a critical driver of corporate performance. Then, when the dot-com bubble burst and the economy cooled, many assumed the war for talent was over. It's not. Now the authors of the original study reveal that, because of enduring economic and social forces, the war for talent will persist for the next two decades. McKinsey & Company consultants Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, and Beth Axelrod argue that winning the war for leadership talent is about much more than frenzied recruiting tactics. It's about the timeless principles of attracting, developing, and retaining highly talented managers - applied in bold new ways. And it's about recognizing the strategic importance of human capital because of the enormous value that better talent creates.Fortified by five years of in-depth research on how companies manage leadership talent - including surveys of 13,000 executives at more than 120 companies and case studies of 27 leading companies - the authors propose a fundamentally new approach to talent management. They describe how to: create a winning EVP (employee value proposition) that will make your company uniquely attractive to talent; move beyond recruiting hype to build a long-term recruiting strategy; use job experiences, coaching, and mentoring to cultivate the potential in managers; and, strengthen your talent pool by investing in A players, developing B players, and acting decisively on C players.Central to this approach is a pervasive talent mindset - a deep conviction shared by leaders throughout the company that competitive advantage comes from having better talent at all levels. Using practical examples from companies such as GE, The Home Depot, PerkinElmer, Amgen, and Enron, the authors outline five imperatives that every leader - from CEO to unit manager - must act on to build a stronger talent pool. Written by recognized authorities on the topic, this is the definitive strategic guide on how to win the war for talent.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2001

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About the author

Edward G. Michaels III

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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Нестор.
592 reviews5 followers
June 14, 2017
Очень слабо.

Если Вы руководили в 2000е и в 2010е хотя бы парочкой коллективов от 25 человек и выше, ничего особо нового Вы из этой книги не узнаете.

Да и примеры из жизни такой компании как Enron тоже не особо вдохновляют.

В общем, читая эту книгу нужно крепко сидеть на стуле и помнить, что и люди для компании, и компания для людей, а разбалансировка такого подхода может привести к проблемам.
Profile Image for Olga.
3 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2013
I found it boring and useless. There are no particular tools described.
Profile Image for Anneli.
14 reviews
May 5, 2023
Kuigi on 00ndate väljalase siis siiski need samad arusaamad uuringust tulevad kaasaega kaasa. Juhtimiskultuur on muutumas aga paraku kerkivad inimestega samad teemad üles.
Hea ladus lugemine ja tõdeda, et ettevõtted peavad ennast rohkem välja poole näitama, et keegi nende visiooni täidaks ehk tööle soovitakse tulla.
Profile Image for Anthony Deluca.
48 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2013
The War For Talent
Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, Beth Axelrod
Copyright 2001
Reviewed: October 2006

The War for Talent was written mainly for high level executives in medium to large corporations. It’s main focus is how to attract, hire, and retain good managers, as well as how to deal with underperforming managers. The concepts applied to the attraction, selections, and retention of managers can be applied to non-managers as well. There are a few points in the book where it briefly talks about applying these concepts to non-managers, and in the end, even to a boys’ preparatory school.

The authors break managers down into 3 levels: A performers, B performers, and C performers. Criteria and method to handle this classification is included. A very radical set of actions is suggested for how to reward and retain the A performers. This includes very large salaries and generous benefits, not just the top range of some salary scale. It is suggested that the B performers are treated in a manner that promotes retention as well. Also B players should be given much encouragement and opportunity to become A performers. The method laid out for handling C performers is radical as well, but not as much as the plan for the A players. C players should be encouraged and given the opportunity to improve just as the B players, but an employer should not be afraid to make decisions to terminate C players. A few examples of companies replacing the majority of their managerial staff, and the (positive) results is included.

The exponential effect of having poor managers is also highlighted in The War for Talent. Poor managers (mostly C managers) will stifle A and B players that report to them, eventually causing many of them to leave and more C players to exist on the manager’s team. This happening throughout the company will seriously hurt the bottom line.

The War for Talent was somewhat based on surveys done with many organizations. The surveys show how companies that follow some or all of the practices suggested in this book perform in many areas as compared to how non-practicing companies perform. The survey results are, in my opinion, the kicker that support the use the tactics outlined in this book.

I feel that this book is a must-read for all executives in any organization, and a suggested read for all leaders in organizations. The very direct practices suggested in this book, which are backed with survey results and real stories involving real corporations, can be valuable to keeping any organization lean, fresh, and talented.
Profile Image for TarasProkopyuk.
686 reviews109 followers
May 10, 2015
Потрясающая книга!

О небольшой части некоторых рекомендаций из данной книги я только лишь догадывался и изредка местами применял, исходя только из личных соображений.

Благодаря этой книге теперь у меня кардинально изменилось отношение к подбору, управлению и развитию персонала. Теперь большинство советов из данной книге будет мной учитываться при построении как и вопросов кадрового управления, так и вопросов стратегического преимущества компании на рынке. Остаётся только лишь немного подкорректировать некоторые моменты под условия стран постсоветских государств.

Книга является отличным справочником в подборе и формирования настоящих талантов. Её стоит прочитать не только каждому руководителю, а и сотрудникам компаний, чтобы чётко знать к чему стремиться и как находить компании, руководители которых будут достойно оценивать их заслуги.

Profile Image for James Pearce.
12 reviews
May 14, 2010
This is a great book. Very readable/accessible. Great insights into the importance of high quality talent management. Covers everything from hiring to development to engagement to candid reviews and employee differentiation. It's a bit dated, but still has very sound concepts that are applicable in any market environment.
Profile Image for Alan Williams.
8 reviews
March 9, 2015
Book easily confirms the importance of talent but lacks substance and actionable advice on how to obtain and keep it. Talent acquisition, engagement, and top performers are all key to business success but the book offers little in terms of how to do the aforementioned.
Profile Image for Jaclyn.
340 reviews10 followers
September 13, 2013
Slightly older research but still ridiculously relevant. I need everyone in my org to read this right now. Great data, cases, and convincing rhetoric about why it matters to have a talent mindset.
Profile Image for Sally.
75 reviews7 followers
September 21, 2011
Great book for HR professionals and anyone in business.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews