7 Talent Strategies for High Performing Team – Patrick Antrim

Patrick Antrim’s book is both helpful and engaging. Not only does this book feature chapters that are short and to the point, but it also provides a helpful guide for those seeking to foster exceptional talent and a high performing team. While Antrim’s background didn’t begin in what’s normally considered a traditional business role, he applied the knowledge and experience he had with the NY Yankees to companies and the internal customer. “Developing success with this customer will attract and retain the external customer, the people that buy our products and services.”

 7 Talent Strategies speaks to initial recruitment, the candidate experience, selection assessments, onboarding, leadership, and employer branding. Antrim does not spend time discussing unnecessary specifics, but provides insight and an overview of how a leader should think of these different areas during the acquisition process. The overall goal of each area is putting the candidate first and really trying to find a good culture and relationship fit. In the last chapter of this book, Antrim lists 3 steps, or pieces of advice, to be the employer of choice for job seekers. Overall, it is an excellent resource for leaders and companies who are designing their acquisition process and redesigning their company culture.

7 Talent Strategies for High Performing Teams: Talent Acquisition, Leadership & Culture Strategies for High Performing Teams

It’s Not the How or the What but the Who: Succeed by Surrounding Yourself with the Best – Claudio Fernández-Aráoz

Claudio Fernández-Aráoz’s book is organized into six distinct parts.  The first highlights the importance of insight into our own biases, the second focuses on making the most out of opportunities, while the third concludes with the selection of the right people and skills.  Fernández-Aráoz goes on to address the importance of training and development in part four and then uses the fifth part to discuss engagement and design of a great team.  He concludes with part six which advises a “pay it forward” strategy to influence organizations.  Each section of this book addresses a different aspect of performing as a leader and managing talent.

Fernández-Aráoz refers to the “WYSIATI” take on decision-making periodically throughout this book.  WYSIATI stands for “What you see is all there is” and this automatic train of thought is a major hindrance for leaders.  Innately we all prefer others that look or behave as we do and have to constantly remember to look deeper into complimentary skills and backgrounds that lead to the most success.  This is the fundamental basis for the way things have always been done, however Fernández-Aráoz attempts to contest this.

Throughout this book, Fernández-Aráoz provides numerous examples that challenge popular views on recruiting the right candidates and the benefits of diversifying the workforce and executive team.  This book is most useful for leaders who are developing a more productive and successful workplace and walks them through key pieces of the onboarding process.  “The three most important competencies in the real world are managing human capital, managing decision-making processes, and managing strategy and innovation” and Fernández-Aráoz walks the reader through these three competencies with his examples and techniques for focusing on the WHO.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1625271522

Strengths Finder 2.0 – Tom Rath

Strengths Finder 2.0 is a revamped edition of Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths.  Not only does this book highlight the importance and benefits of focusing on one’s strengths, but it also includes an assessment that finds and applies your top five strengths.  Having a background in Psychology has allowed me to see how focusing on strengths and positive attributes can lead to higher levels of confidence and productivity.  Tom Rath explains this philosophy well throughout the first part of the book and uses the rest of the book to describe the 34 strength themes, give examples of each, suggest action plans, and provide tips on how to work with others who have strong talents in each theme.

This book not only benefits those who want to discover and develop their own strengths, but also helps friends, colleagues, or employees build on their natural talents.  This book is great for first-time readers and those who may need to revisit it.  I will end this review with a powerful quote from Tom Rath’s book: “You cannot be anything you want to be – but you can be a lot more of who you already are.”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/159562015X