How to encourage talent development

Who has never heard, or said about themselves, that they are naturally gifted for something? When we hear about talent, it is no coincidence that we always refer to innate characteristics, to those particular abilities that emerge in us without the need for great efforts. The question, therefore, arises spontaneously: beyond natural predisposition, can talent depend on the context and our aptitudes? By Fabrizio Rotta, Administrator & Founder of BEAUX and Very Personal Consulting.

If we think about it, how many times does it happen that a person possesses one or more talents, but without ever having had the opportunity to express them because the context and motivational aspects have not made it possible?

It is no coincidence that psychologist Anders Ericsson, after spending over thirty years studying great talents, discovered that “ innate talent ” is nothing more than a worthless gift . This, in fact, must be nourished through the development of skills that allow it to be made concrete with specific actions. And becoming “skilled”, whether in the context of school, work or sport, requires training and effort; therefore, the predisposition to develop one’s potential.

Not only that, the circumstances and context in which we find ourselves can represent a springboard for potential, but also a chain that does not allow it to fully express itself.

Develop talent through aptitude analysis

If we think about an organizational context, a talent is a person who, if placed in favorable conditions, is able to achieve above-average performance in the role occupied and according to his duties, and to express behaviors considered key by the company in which is found.

Promoting the development of people’s talent therefore presupposes thoroughly analyzing the aptitudes and different roles assumed in life, since talented characteristics also find a way to express themselves through extra-work activities, hobbies, relationships, etc. Thinking in this direction we realize that all people represent a precious resource for the smooth functioning of organizational life, as long as they are in the right place at the right time.

To identify talent and potential, the recruiting and management processes of people in the company must take into account their aptitudes which, it is worth remembering, are not static and always the same, but vary depending on the moment in which they emerge. Only in this way is it possible to direct the individual towards the expression of maximum performance .

The analysis of attitudes as an objective guide in defining the behavioral and motivational profile

To recognize talent we can use various staff assessment and development tools. Among these, talent assessments that explore an individual’s reactions, behaviours, motivations and style of managing situations can offer useful information on his aptitudes, potential and the way he interacts with others and with the context . By placing all these aspects at the center of the analysis, the assessment becomes a compass for:

• the definition of the behavioral and motivational profile of the person best suited to fill a specific professional role;
• the definition of a plan to encourage the development , improvement and management of talent;
• the acquisition of greater self-knowledge and particular characteristics, which allows you to exploit a greater percentage of your potential.

The use of Talent Assessment allows you to promote a model of selection, management and development of people which is based precisely on the evaluation of behavioral aptitudes and on a scientific methodology that allows talent to be identified. It is a tool that:

• detects the aptitudes that will or will not allow the person to achieve personal and professional goals;
• highlights the requirements necessary to fill a specific role within an organization;
• places emphasis on the assets on which to work to increase performance .

The Talent Assessment, since it is oriented towards the analysis of the behavior and not the personality of the individual, allows the definition of personal and professional development paths, projected towards the acquisition of a greater sense of empowerment and alignment with the corporate culture , as well as a better professional performance management skills.

Conclusions

We can all be considered potential talents if we are in the right place at the right time. Talents represent an innate “gift”, but aptitude is the starting point for being able to express them in a complete and structured way, always in the presence of ideal circumstances.

It is not talent that defines what the person can do, but it is what they do that is a manifestation of it. This is why attention to behavioral aptitudes and context become fundamental factors in making talent a fact and not a simple potential.