Talent Vs Resources

This is going to be a small but significant blurb. I think how we term our people pool defines a large part of how organisations view said people pool.

The outlook to how every single cog in the machine that is your organisation interacts and navigates that pool of people. I also think that the word Organisation comes from the word Organism and not the word organise, this is just my opinion and has not been fact-checked in any way. Organisms by definition our living beings, in this case comprised of living things and like all living things need to be nurtured and cared for to grow.

Coming back to my original point, some years ago I worked for a PCO (Professional Conference Organiser) and it is there where I was first referred to as a talent, the nomenclature itself makes you feel you belong and are capable. Everything the organisation did for their talent pool was directed towards building and scaling whatever talent you were hired for.

Even when I started my fitness journey at a local Crossfit Box, on the first day itself I was referred to as an Athlete, irrespective of my size, gender, caste or creed I was an athlete and by definition a cut above the rest.

On the other hand, every other organisation I have ever worked for has always referred to me as a resource, one that depletes and is never intended to be replenished, on the other hand, talents are honed and crafted.

Every resource on the planet, having been consumed the way it has, has led to climate change and I genuinely think this is a sign to treat people better, we hire for skills and talent.

Imagine, if we were to move away from the word resource completely and just deploy the word talent. The entire perspective would shift in the way we treat people, appraise them, give them feedback and cultivate culture across an entire organisation.

It really is time.

Until next time. Keep doing better.

Your neighbourhood talent,

Sid.