Reviewed by Bob Little
Talent is highly sought after but experience teaches us that organisations don’t always recognise it when they have it or, indeed, when they see it at work. This book (Kogan Page, £18.99) is based on the sound premise that talent is not a rare commodity; merely that it is rarely released. Its authors, Kaye Thorne and Andy Pellant, explore the factors that tend to inhibit the release of talent in organisations and then encourage readers to apply the reverse logic that, by not inhibiting talent in an organisation, you can therefore encourage it.
The book explores such issues as how HR can become a strategic partner to support the growth of talent; how to ensure that your ‘people brand’ matches your marketing brand; how to identify the motivators and drivers of talented people; how to create an environment in which talent can thrive, and the impact of leadership style on the retention of talent. These are all key issues in today’s business climate and, as such, they deserve a much wider audience. Hopefully, this challenging and informative book will play its part in this.