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WAR FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE IS WAR FOR TALENT
by Maiet D. Biliran (Word Document)

     I took part in the forum “WAR FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE” on April 22-23, 2008 at the SGV Hall of the AIM Conference Center, Makati City. The forum has been tagged as one of the crucial discourses scheduled in the “What Keeps CEOs Awake Nights?” 2008 Seminar Series of Six Sigma Consulting.

     The 2-ladies-13 gentlemen panels of speakers were Country Managers and CEOs of top transnational and national business corporations like the Oracle Corporation, Philippine Long Distance Telecommunication Group, Ford Group Philippines, Enchanted Kingdom Inc., DHL Philippines, Planters Development Bank, Watson Wyatt Philippines, Integrated Microelectronics, Inc., Alaska Milk Corporation, Ortigas and Co., La Fruitera, Gardenia Bakeries, HR Mall, Inc. and Ayala Corporation, Citibank N.A., and IBM Philippines, Inc.

     The recurring theme of the speakers was that - the war for the right people is a war for talent. They stressed that CEOs today must adopt new ways of thinking in order to attract and keep the right people in their fold. Essential points that top executives must remember in managing people are nurturing a disciplined talent mindset, keeping alive a set of employee value propositions that are appealing to talented people, recruiting for the right people is marketing - not purchasing, putting people in jobs before they are ready, stretch jobs, coaching, and mentoring form the best leaders, and that where every good performing staff and employee must be affirmed, differentiation in formation and investment on talented people must be a “people handling” rule.

     The forum was an opportunity for all attendees to gain insights on how the vision-mission-goals of their companies can be owned up by their staff and employees. One of the crucial matters that keep CEOs awake nights is in translating company core values into value propositions that satisfy employees’ desire for meaning, excitement, novelty, flexibility, impact, and reward.