How can you improve your talent management and learning with external partners?

External partners play a pivotal role in enhancing workforce planning, talent management and upskilling existing employees in the digital space by providing specialized training programs, access to cutting-edge technologies, and industry insights. Collaborating with external experts also help in leveraging their insights to identify emerging tech trends, access a diverse pool of digital talent, streamline recruitment processes and ensures that organization remains agile and competitive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Are you 100% sure that you want to rely on external partners when talking about your talent management? Can you imagine eg the best sports teams in the world outsourcing their team development? Like, let's ask an external guy to work with our key players in Red Sox because we don't know what the best practices are? Nope, I don't think so.

I think we can start by make them be Involved employees with the process they are on charge with the vison and process of the project they are participating and open transparent communication with them feedback and results .that's will foster a sense of ownership and engagement in the joint talent management initiatives.

Here are some ways to improve talent management and learning with external partners: Talent Acquisition: Diversity and Inclusion: Collaborate with organizations focused on underrepresented talent pools to widen search. Recruiting Expertise: Partner with recruiting agencies that specialize in your domain for hard-to-find skill sets. Learning and Development: Access to Specialized Training: External training providers can offer niche programs or certifications that you might not have the resources to develop internally. Mentorship and Coaching: Partner with external mentors or coaches to provide training. Employee Engagement: Bring in external speakers or conduct workshops on relevant topics like stress management or work-life balance.

External partners are essential as they are the subject matter experts and help you build on your ideas and review your talent management strategies. We can work collaboratively with external partners to tailor learning programs as per organization's specific needs.

The Types of external partners are as follows: Recruitment Agencies and Consultancies: Unlock a vast talent network tailored to your hiring needs. Training & Development Firms: Infuse specialized skills through targeted learning initiatives. Consulting Partners: Gain strategic advice and industry insights for informed decisions. Technology Providers: Leverage cutting-edge tools and solutions to enhance efficiency. Freelance Platforms: Access on-demand expertise for specific projects or skills. I would also add Embedded solutions which are up and coming in 2023/2024.

External partners can bring a fresh perspective and specialized expertise to your organization. Leverage their expertise to enhance your talent management strategies and learning programs. This could involve bringing in external trainers, consultants, or coaches.

I strongly recommend diversifying your portfolio of your talent management and learning external partners to ensure you're keeping your talent management agile and responsive, for example you may partnering with learning platform and training providers, this allows your organization to access a broader range of knowledge and expertise, different partners may bring different perspectives, methodologies, and best practices to your teams, this diversity can foster innovation and help your organization stay ahead in terms of learning and talent management trends.

Internal hiring is becoming one of the best examples of talent management practices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of internal promotions increased by 6 percent last year. It means that hiring managers are taking advantage of this trend to promote talented team members internally instead of externally. Internal hirings account for almost 36 percent of all total hiring, as employers consider internal hiring, along with employee referral, an important source of high-caliber talent.

A talent development strategy is a series of processes that are designed to motivate, engage, and further develop existing employees. Any program that helps people build new skills and access learning and training opportunities can be considered part of your approach to talent development. There’s a lot of confusion about talent development and talent management and how these terms intersect. To put it simply, talent development is a big part of talent management. But it’s specifically focused on growth and bridging skills gaps, while talent management includes other components of the employee lifecycle such as hiring and recruiting.

Forward-looking companies use innovative solutions in their talent management practices. For example, instead of relying exclusively on full-time and on-site employees, they also accept remote work and use the skills of freelance experts. This can help you more effectively fill skill gaps and expand your team. According to the 2022 Future Workforce Report, 85 percent of hiring managers who use freelance talent say they are confident in their company's ability to respond to external problems and issues (compared to 69 percent of those who do). do not use.)

Of course, the initial thought is to give a chance to the person who has been chasing you and liking all your posts on LinkedIn. However, if you want to do it properly: Alignment with Goals: Ensure partners align with your organization's mission and objectives. Proven Track Record: Opt for partners with a history of successful collaborations and positive outcomes. Expertise Match: Select partners whose skills and knowledge complement your specific needs. Transparent Communication: Prioritize partners who communicate openly and foster a collaborative environment. Adaptability: Choose partners capable of adjusting to evolving goals and market dynamics. Cost is also important to consider.

Talent development is getting a lot of attention right now because the half-life of skills is shrinking, knowledge gaps are widening, and external hiring is getting more challenging. Many businesses are rethinking their talent development strategies to improve performance, reduce skills gaps, and retain and engage employees.

Every organization is unique, and so are its learning needs. Work with your external partners to customize learning programs that meet the specific needs of your organization and employees. This could involve tailoring the content, format, or delivery method of the learning program.

When choosing an external partner, start by stating your problem clearly. Know where you are now and where you want to go, and check if the partner can help bridge that gap. Look into their past work with similar clients and find out what those clients say about them. Make sure the partner understands what you need and can make the process easy for you when it's time to go live. This way, you can choose a partner that fits your goals and can provide the right solutions as well.

Help them help you! - Clear Communication: Establish open and transparent channels for effective dialogue. - Define Expectations: Set clear goals, roles, and expectations from the outset. - Regular Check-Ins: Maintain consistent updates to ensure alignment and address any issues promptly. - Flexibility: Be adaptable to changes and open to refining strategies based on feedback. - Mutual Benefits: Foster a win-win mindset, ensuring both parties derive value from the partnership. - Continuous Evaluation: Regularly assess the partnership's effectiveness and adjust strategies as needed.

The best way to attract and retain great employees is to provide a positive candidate experience. It includes everything from ensuring you have a strong onboarding program to clear communication about the next steps along the journey. Companies must consider the entire recruitment cycle when it comes to attracting top talent. Not just during the job posting phase but throughout the hiring process as a whole. In fact, according to a recent study conducted by CareerBuilder, a candidate with a referral has 3-4 times higher chances of getting hired as compared to a candidate without a referral.

As much as I am a fan of forming partnerships, my first step is to consolidate the list that you are working with, to understand your current quality partnerships. Often these partners understand your culture, your mission and your purpose, all of which should factor into establishing a new working relationship. Finally explain to them the metrics that you will be using to hold them to account and ensure that you are getting the best value for money so that they are clear on your expectations.

Just as with effective collaboration among colleagues, clarity on roles, responsibilities, and ways of working, along with transparent and regular communication, is crucial for a successful partnership with external partners. Engage with your external partner as equals and integrate them into your internal systems where necessary to foster teamwork. Be approachable and provide necessary and appropriate information to enable them to perform their work effectively.

I believe that managing both internal and external stakeholders requires effective communication. A cooperative strategy that capitalizes on 'shared objectives' strengthens the bond. Encourage participation from stakeholders in training sessions, events, and projects to build a sense of partnership and investment. Build on regular updates keep all the stakeholders informed on all the progress/regular updates of the strategy. use of AI tools to effectively communicate through #dashboards, reports summary that can be used by stakeholders

Data Data Data! -Define Clear Metrics: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with goals. -Regular Performance Reviews: Conduct frequent assessments to gauge partner contributions. -Feedback Mechanism: Solicit input from internal teams and external partners for insights. -Continuous Improvement: Identify areas for enhancement and implement iterative changes. -ROI Analysis: Evaluate the return on investment to ensure cost-effectiveness. -Adaptability: Adjust strategies based on performance data and evolving business needs.

Develop long-term partnerships with key external providers to ensure consistency and alignment with your talent management goals. These strategic alliances can provide ongoing support, innovation, and resources to keep your talent management practices at the forefront of industry trends.

Improving talent management with external partners requires effective measurement and optimization. Set specific, measurable goals and gather feedback from all stakeholders. As a leadership coach, I emphasize continuous learning, a theme in my podcast and Agile coaching. Analyze successes and challenges, celebrating achievements while identifying areas for improvement. This approach, grounded in Essentialism and a growth mindset, ensures your partnerships are not only beneficial but also evolve with your organization's needs, maximizing the return on investment and fostering a culture of growth and adaptability.

Track relevant data, such as performance indicators, feedback, and engagement levels. Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your partnership through surveys, assessments, and performance reviews, gathering insights from both internal and external stakeholders. Identify areas for improvement and collaboratively develop action plans with your partners to address any gaps or challenges. Continuously iterate and refine your approach based on feedback and results, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. By actively monitoring, analyzing, and adapting your partnership strategies, you can optimize the impact of external partners on your talent management and learning initiatives, driving sustainable growth and success.

Enhancing talent management through external partnerships requires agile methodologies and a focus on people-first principles. My approach, shaped by experiences from hosting leadership podcasts to facilitating career advancements, underscores the importance of setting clear KPIs and actively seeking feedback. This mirrors the agile practice of iterative development and continuous learning. By analyzing data and stakeholder insights, we can pinpoint areas for improvement and celebrate successes. This process not only maximizes the value of partnerships but also fosters a culture of growth and innovation, ensuring every stakeholder benefits from the collaboration.

Before you decide to partner externally, fully assess the capabilities of your existing team. Are you certain that they cannot perform the tasks you are seeking external assistance for? If you are uncertain of their abilities, I would recommend that you find that out first before paying external partners. Also, determine if you are willing to invest in your team’s development for any skills they are lacking. Do you have the time and resources to invest in your existing team to grow their skills?

An external partner is not an all-encompassing solution to your internal issues. Partnerships fail when you expect them to solve rather than add value to a particular situation. I would honestly suggest that before any partnership is formed, have a strong outline/structure of what you want to achieve and where these partnerships will be adding value to that framework.

I have some strategies as below: - First, we need to assess our current talent management and learning needs. Then we define clear objectives for what we want to achieve with external partnerships. In our company, we need to pay attention to the quality, cost and time. - Second, we look for partners with a proven track record in areas that align with our defined objectives. - Third, we work with partners to co-design training programs tailored to our organizational needs. - Fourth, we customize training modules to address specific skill gaps and career development paths in our company. - Finally, we regularly assess the effectiveness of program through feedback, and performance metrics.

When working with external partners, also consider the potential risks and challenges, such as intellectual property protection, data privacy, and cultural or language barriers. Be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and have a contingency plan in place. Additionally, establish clear metrics and benchmarks to measure the success of the partnership, and regularly review and adjust the collaboration as needed. Finally, don't underestimate the power of building personal relationships and trust with your external partners, as this can lead to more effective and sustainable collaborations.