by Caela Farren, Ph.D.
CEO of MasteryWorks, Inc

Strategic planning and discussions of bench strength fill the plates of most managers and HR professionals. Do we have the talent we need for the future? For our strategic initiatives? To accomplish our mission? Who do we have ready for key positions and core projects? Where are we going to find the “right” people? Do they aspire to the same positions and projects?

There are definitely no magic answers in our quest for the “right” talent. However, there are three strategies that help assure that organizations have the bench strength required for the future:

Strategy 1: Mission-Centered TalentMapping®TalentMapping® gives C levels and HR professionals a systems framework for building the organization as well as attracting, engaging, developing, redeploying and retaining the “right” future talent. Every organization has its own DNA – the mission, strategies, professions, positions and required skills sets or practices. These may be conscious or unconscious. But they’re there. When we clearly articulate these, we have the basis for a robust talent management architecture. That is why the mission is at the center of TalentMapping®. All other choices radiate from the mission – strategies, professions, key positions, competencies, etc.

While missions need to stay constant for a long time, strategies change more frequently. Strategies tell employees how they’re going to attain the mission – customer service excellence, speed, technical innovation, product innovation or global reach. Strategies directly influence the “kinds” of people (professions or trades) that will be needed. Employees can see quickly whether their profession or trade is core or secondary to an organization, based on its strategies. Strategic initiatives change the concentration of time, energy and required resources for a given year or more. Strategies drive the talent base requirements.

Given the mission and strategies of the organization, what professions and/or trades are imperative? What expertise, knowledge and skills must flourish to succeed strategically? Although there may be thousands or hundreds of thousands of positions, there are ordinarily a very finite number of professions or trades required for success.

Leaders need to maintain deep bench strength in core professions or trades and outsource or subcontract secondary professions and trades. Organizations become at risk when their core professions are subcontracted. They can lose the wisdom and expertise to make smart decisions in the implementation of their strategies. They can lose control of the staffing or development of their subcontractors. This may make short-term economic sense but not contribute to long-term organization health.

Positions and projects are simply arbitrary ways of packaging and compensating people for smaller skill sets or practice areas within a profession or trade. Positions change frequently because new projects or new strategies evolve. The risk for both individuals and the organization is that the core professions become subservient to how we organize them into positions or projects. In many organizations, people identify much more deeply with their positions than their professions. This is a risk for individuals and the organization. Changing positions frequently requires changing professions. This must be done with a great deal of consciousness. Compensation schemes must be aligned first with professional mastery and then with positional level.


Strategy 2: Mastery-Centered Career Tracks
Professions and trades are the centerpiece for both organizational and individual career planning. Why? Because it takes 10-17 years to master any profession or trade. As such, organizations need to have a blend of workers in the four stages of mastery to assure long-term success: beginner/ apprentice, individual contributor, mentor/coach, master/leader.

The dilemma facing many organizations is that successful people get promoted too quickly into Management, and never have the time to develop mastery in the basic practice areas of their profession or trade. Although a person has the positional designation or role of leader, he or she may not be at the top of their game. Having multiple career tracks where people can choose to stay with their profession and still accrue increased compensation and other perks is still a major challenge for many organizations.

The first step to making mastery-driven career tracks a reality is to develop a picture of the current talent base and then decide how to fill any gaps that show up through intensive development programs, mentoring and smart acquisition of talent. Subcontracting may be a partial stop gap, but has potential limitations as a long-term strategy. It’s critical from a succession planning/talent management standpoint to look at every profession or functional area and outline the positions, basic practices and skills required for mastery in that field.

Leaders and their HR partners have a dual responsibility to: 1) Show the professions and key practices required for mastery; and 2) Reward depth in the core professions and trades through well-designed career tracks for the individual as well as the organization. They need to also continually monitor each track to assure they have people in each level of the mastery track.


Strategy 3: Individual-Centered Professional Development
Our spirits or souls are the source of our uniqueness – our DNA. Our uniqueness comes from this life force. We are each unique with wonderfully different and complimentary talents. Getting to know ourselves deeply provides the individual roadmap to choosing the professions, organizations, industries and positions where we will flourish:

- Our style of being – how we interact with the world and others;
- Our passion and mission in life – our calling;
- Our interests – the sources of joy and aliveness;
- Our values – what we really care about; what’s important;
- Our skills – what we can do in life – innately, or with practice and coaching;
- Our knowledge – what we learn and apply to life, work and world situations.

Having worked with hundreds of thousands of individuals over 30 years, my key message is: Be Yourself! Know Yourself! Build from your unique talents! Start from the Inside Out! Radiate from your interests, values, personality style. Build your competencies! Choose the profession, industry, organization and position that “fits” you and inspires your learning and development. Unique talents and strengths can come from inside of us – the unique way we are hard-wired.


Caela Farren, Ph.D., is President of MasteryWorks, Inc. in McLean, VA www.masteryworks.com). A consultant, entrepreneur, and educator for over 30 years, Caela has worked with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide to get them on their mastery path. Caela’s practice and company builds strong links between changing trends in industries, changing strategies of organizations and the talents and aspirations of individuals. People who work with her company discover their passion, their mastery path, and bring renewed contribution and high performance to their organizations.

Caela is known internationally for her expertise in developing talent management products and services. Her solutions are user-friendly systems that serve the needs of both organizations and individuals. She is frequently quoted in the media regarding her thoughts and advice on changing
careers and work patterns in the nation. Hundreds of organizations have implemented talentmanagement solutions from MasteryWorks, Inc. — consulting, workshops, assessment
instruments and web-based talent management portals.