CDA consulting - managing talent

Managing talent

Talent Management is rapidly making its way to the top of the HR agenda. Its meaning is broad, covering a range of HR activity aimed at strengthening organisational capability through individual development, performance enhancement and succession planning.

We have developed an innovative approach to Talent Management which integrates a broad range of HR processes to identify, develop and retain key leadership talent. Central to our approach is a set of ' Leadership Talent Factors'. These define the essential characteristics of both fully-developed and early-career leadership talent, and can be used to drive a wide range of assessmnet and development activity.

Case studies

BT's Major Programmes Practice wanted to develop their leadership capability to drive the short and medium term growth o the business. We worked with them, using cda's Leadership Talent Factors and BT's own leadership competencies, to define the characteristics of early career and mature leadership talent. We used this to structure a Talent Management Programme. This included an innovative Assessment Centre, which focussed on assessing a number of key factors such as Emotional Intelligence and Learning Competence. Participants on the programme received a range of development support including access to an on-line Development Guide and a series of short development workshops, designed and delivered by cda.

Astra Zeneca's international Research and Development function identified a need for improved career development processes and pathways for the Project Managers who play a vital role in managing and supporting the work of the R&D teams. We acted as an 'expert advisor' to the project group set up to work on this project, helping to ensure that solutions were fit for purpose and took account of best practice both within and outside AstraZeneca. Our role encompassed working with the team to develop a set of capabilities and a range of talent management tools and processes for this group.

We worked with Toyota GB, using cda's Leadership Talent Factors, to identify the qualities that define high potential in the Toyota environment. We used this information to develop an Assessment Centre, which is now used to recruit an annual intake to Toyota's Leadership Development Programme. We also advised on the structure of the Talent Programme, which includes work rotation, coaching/mentoring and focused developmed activity.

Morrison plc (then part of the Anglian Water Group) asked us to work with them to develop leadership capability. We designed and delivered a series of Development Centres and supported the subsequent talent management activity for key managers and leaders.

We worked with Grant Thornton to help them to identify the characteristics of early career business leadership potential in their business and align these criteria with their existing management and leadership competencies. We also advised on the way in which talent management processes could operate alongside existing training and development programmes.

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