An Inexhaustible Source...

Whilst arranging a Talent Development and Potential Realization Summit in Zambia, I had to supply the benefits such an event holds to my local collaborator. I gave him plenty of benefits and actually sent more than 4 different emails with more and more benefits. I soon came to realize that I could go on forever, as there are infinite benefits for Realizing Potential and Talent Development. Talent Development does not mean improving or expanding functional and technical skills required for a specific role; neither does it mean the traditional soft skills such as negotiation skills or communication skills, etc.  Potential and Talent is about so much more.

One the benefits I gave him were: Allowing people to be successful by allowing them to play their strengths and to leverage their inborn talents. Another was: Ensuring that the right people with the right talents and skills are in the right place at the right time, and that these people are engaged and focused on the right activities and interactions to uncover and flaunt their talent and to realize their own potential whilst they are actively contributing to the realization of the goals and vision of the organization. Another was: Stimulating a shared sense of direction, value, purpose, connection, understanding and cohesion which is necessary for success, well being, fulfillment, achievement and prosperity.

Insights from the past...

With these all fresh in my awareness, I was reminded of the wisdom from the ancients. The wise ancients believed that to continuously nourish and replenish people – that means abundance and success for all - a wise leader must have an inexhaustible source. And the only way to ensure an inexhaustible supply is to make the best use of people and resources, and to let the commodities flow abundantly into the market. They also believed that one should only employ talented, virtuous and able people.  They also believed a leader’s main desire or motivation was to replenish the people, and that never changed, no matter what happened.   They also believed that in an ideal society – a society of great harmony, the leader and the people work in full co-operation and with unity of purpose.  They also believed to replenish people’s latent productive capacity; you have to change the social system and the personnel system.  In the social system they freed the “slaves” and in the personnel system “talented and able” people were employed.

The modern day...

The modern day slave looks very different from the one from the past. The modern day slave sits in a golden cage. They are enslaved not so much to someone, but rather to a perception. They do what they are told to.  They don’t have any understanding why they are there or why they have to do something. They act like a robot. Their actions are automated and no conscious thoughts are employed to make any decisions. They actual make hardly any decisions. They don’t question anything or even dare to wonder whether there is another way that might be more efficient or better.  Innovation and creativity is foreign words to them. They only appear in the dictionary. They might feel that their value and talent are never noticed and acknowledge. They might feel unworthy and useless. They are totality disengaged and walk around with grudges, blame, complain. Gossip is their playground.  They don’t have any sense of autonomy or a sense of healthy self sufficiency where they understand their own value. They do not know how to channel their energy and talents effectively.  Neither do they feel capable of fulfilling their own needs or to even dare to enthusiastically contribute to the whole. It’s all about me and what I can get.   They have no sense of shared direction and purpose and have no commitment to life. They are disconnected and often pessimistic about change and new ideas. They have high rates of absenteeism and tend to negatively influence those around them, including potential customers and new hires. They are engulfed in victim consciousness and are always looking for reasons outside of them to blame for their circumstances and performance. They do not trust themselves or their co-workers – everyone is competition and the enemy. They are unaware of the concept of cause and effect and do not understand the consequences of their behavior. They do not take responsibility for their actions, words and interactions with others.  They say: “What is in it for me?”  They think: “Why should I do this? There is nothing in it for me.”

Why all these limiting beliefs, habits and behavior?  What is the difference between the ‘slaves’ and the ‘talented’ ones? The ‘slaves’ have no understanding of their own talent and the unlimited resources hidden within them.  

Talented and able people are authentic and bring their Best Self forward. They embody, express and flaunt their talents, value and Best Self. They show up in life and belief in their most positive regard. They give their talents a chance to work for them. They constantly embrace their potential and employ it in as many ways possible. They spend much time on personal development and personal growth. They have autonomy and a sense of healthy self sufficiency where they understand our own value, feel capable of fulfilling their own needs and they enthusiastically contribute to the whole. They take care of themselves and have a healthy sense of self love and know their self value. They know when to say no and how to create clear, healthy boundaries.  They are committed to their life – they commit to fully experience, engage in and contribute to every situation they find themselves in. They feel comfortable in their skin. They trust their own abilities and capabilities. And they can "discern" what is good for them and what is not.

They are brim with enthusiasm, they contribute ideas, are optimistic about their life’s work, the future and their organization. They are seldom absent from work, they typically stay with the organization longer and are among the organization’s most valuable ambassadors. They work more effectively, instead of just working more. They are committed to the organization, its values and vision. They see themselves as equal, full partners in shaping the organisation, regardless of their position and job function. They have high levels of energy and direct it wisely of things and activities that truly matter. They love and broaden what they do. They contribute in making the organization and themselves through it more sustainable, profitable and prosperous. They infuse passion and devotion into their work and wherever they go. Most importantly, they can have high levels of self awareness and use multiple degrees of their selves, physically, cognitively, and emotionally, in the work they perform. They know how to bring more of themselves into their roles and hence have stirring performances. They understand how their behaviors and attitudes promote connections to their life’s work and to others. They have a strong sense of social identity, a sense of belonging and greater meaningfulness from their role. They are able to show and employ their self value without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status or career. They have a sense of having all the physical, emotional or psychological resources available to them to engage fully at any particular moment. There are so much more to share about talented and able people. They think: “How can I add value?” or “How can I contribute?” or “How can I give my talents and gifts an opportunity to work for me, for my team or for my organization?”  They say: “How awesome is that?”

So it is easy to understand why leaders of the past employed virtuous, talented and able people. How else can you have an inexhaustible source? And an abundant outflow? Most certainly not with slave mentality! 

But...

Just like the wise ones, you can replenish and uncover your people’s latent productive capacity. Everyone is born a genius with unlimited potential and productive capacity.  You see, in truth, ‘slaves” are diamonds under cover. Slavery is just a wicked illusion. Slaves hold tremendous potential. Once you break them out of the illusional ‘slave jail’ and begin to uncover their treasures – their latent talents and gifts; you will be surprised at what resources are available to you. All so you can have access to an inexhaustible source.

The wise leader also made best use of the people and resources available to them. That truly means utilizing the right people with the right talents and skills are in the right place at the right time, and that these people are engaged and focused on the right activities and interactions. This most certainly is a breakthrough from ‘silo’ type mentalities. I have seen this in action, where a small company - the under dogs, won an assignment of more than $ 1 mil against all the big guys. They won it by using all the talents of their people at the time regardless of roles. There was a magical cohesion at play with the result of innovation, creativity and geniality. Soon after the victory, they went into ‘silo’ based operations and in my view; it created continuous “Crisis Management” scenarios. And they were incessantly fighting fires. Why change a winning recipe? Never do it. It cripples progress and evolution. It distracts you and keeps you busy with activities and things that don’t contribute to success, well being, fulfillment and prosperity.  It cripples the abundant flow of your ‘commodities’ into the market.

The wise ancients knew that by allowing the ‘commodities’ to abundantly flow into the market, that they will have an inexhaustible source. Where am I alluding too? Freshness, Innovation and Creativity!  Don’t get stuck on anything. Yesterday’s solution is not necessarily today’s answer. If you allow and inspire the creative juices of your talent to incessantly flow; if you reward innovative contribution; if you create a conducive, nurturing space for your talent to blossom and thrive; and if you supply both support and challenge; you will not only have access to an inexhaustible source, you will have an abundant flow of commodities into the market.

So how do you get there?

The same as the wise ancients did. You change the social and personnel system. You ‘un-enslave’ your people with a new personnel system – a Talent Development and Potential Realization Initiative and Program. You nourish and replenish all your people in the process – the talented and able, and the ‘slaves’ with a remarkable Support and Challenge System.  You stimulate and co-create a strong sense of shared direction, purpose, unity, value, connection, understanding and cohesion which is necessary for success, well being, fulfillment, achievement and prosperity for all involved.  You create the most opportune atmosphere and environment for your people’s talent to thrive and their potential to blossom whilst they contribute and engage fully to realize your vision and goal – to have an inexhaustible supply so everyone is always replenished and there is an abundant flow into the market. Everyone wins... Every one thrives... Everyone benefits...All in harmony – everyone working in full co-operation and with unity of purpose.

Why not?

Only the wise, bold, daring and brave are willing to be on the prowl for such greatness and will be attending our Talent Development and Potential Realization Summits and grab the opportunity to make our unique ‘Talent Development and Potential Realization’ Toolkit and Techniques work for them.  With the result of having access to an Inexhaustible Source which leads to the abundant flow of their ‘Commodities” into the market, which in turn leads to fulfillment, well being, success and prosperity for all involved.