I am enjoying a thorough read of this short Booz & Company article on the Talent Innovation Imperative.  The 2008-09 economic crisis is more than just economic; it is the lurch from an old dying enterprise model to a new more sustainable and global model.  The relationship between the enterprise and its talent has changed significantly.  For those who haven't noticed the transition yet, the mid-20th century goods-producing, organizational man model has become obsolete. In a new economy that is knowledge-producing, global, and highly transparent, it is almostly purely the incremental effort, of individuals and teams, that makes the difference between success and mediocrity or failure.

"A more appropriate, 21st-century talent model assumes a workforce that is global, diverse, and gender-balanced, with discontinuous career progressions, in which high-potential employees may take time off or work for different types of organizations along the way. Under this model, companies value functional and leadership skills, embrace new employment structures (such as highly responsible part-time work), encourage virtual workplaces (in which people work together across long distances, communicating electronically), and offer nonmonetary rewards alongside financial rewards as a way to attract people. Family, community, and work are intertwined in a variety of ways, and the result is a more flexible, dynamic, and unpredictable workplace in which people feel they are continually building their skills and learning from the enterprise.

"This new talent management model allows a much broader group of people to assume positions of responsibility. It promotes innovation, growth, and breakthrough performance by integrating the needs of the business with those of individuals. And when aligned with a clear and focused corporate strategy, it allows top management to optimize compensation, training, and other expenses; maximize the productivity and performance of the workforce; and gain competitive advantage."

I am excited to be part of this field and see what results we can achieve with truly diverse, flexible, and sustainable talent practices.