How familiar are you with the concept of being a “net exporter of talent?”
Our reader poll today asks: How familiar are you with the concept of being a “net exporter of talent?”
– Very — I’m a great example of how to do it well: 14%
– Somewhat — I know the term but don’t actively think about it: 14%
– Not very — I understand it but don’t know how to do it: 8%
– Not at all — What does that even mean?: 64%
Build them and get rid of them. Being a “net exporter of talent” means you bring people onto your team, help them grow and develop, then send them off to the next big opportunity on another team in your organization. You’ve exported more talent than you’ve brought in therefore you’re a “net exporter” of talent. This is a technique that’s very straightforward to apply. It’s good for your team members, good for the organization, and good for you. You build a reputation for being a leader who’s more interested in building people and the organization than you are in hoarding talent.
Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!
– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC
Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!
These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.
Mike,
I would take this a step further. Some of the most successful organizations I have seen export talent OUTSIDE of their organizations. You will find people that got their start with a particular company scattered all over the particular industry that the organization plays in. That means there are people that are very loyal to the company that gave them their start working in company’s that are either customers or suppliers. It is a great, stealthy marketing opportunity that not many companies take advantage of. Train them, treat them well, have them develop relationships with your customers, and encourage your customers to hire them!