A job no one can do other than the leader is to find the best talent. The best talent is called top talent. As a leader, when you farm selecting the best talent out to someone else, then you will never get the greatest talent you can find. Leaders most devote targeted, specific, and intentional time to discovery, recruitment, cultivation, and selection of the best talent. If you are not the best talent selector in your organization, then you are not doing all of your job.

A leader’s job is not only to cast the vision, set the course, and energize followers, but find the best talent and spread them throughout the organizations. There are no shortcuts to finding, recruiting, and developing top talent. There are always highly talented people, but most of the time they are not looking for you. As a leader, you must be hunting both internally and externally for top talent.

What is top talent?

Top talent represents the top 5% of your employee workforce who possess (a) both leadership & followership capacities, (b) ability to attract others to themselves, (c) naturally take ownership in the organization, (d) drive the organization forward, and (e) are committed to personal growth. Top talent is rare, but they do exist. Both graphite and diamonds are made up of carbon. However, the composition of diamonds and graphite differ greatly. At the atomic level, diamonds are composed in a crystal lattice structure that makes them the naturally hardest substance on earth. Conversely, graphite is made up of rings of hexagonal structures that allow for the conducting of electricity (which diamonds don’t have), but makes it incredibly weak when pressure is applied. Top talent leaders are diamonds—their internal composition is different from 85% of the others in the organization (The bottom 5% are probably neither).

Everyone in the organization cannot be top talent, but everyone can be talented. Talent is the combination of composition, capacity and chemistry. Composition is who they are (what qualities they are made of). Capacity is their personal ability to exploit and maximize who they are by what they do. Chemistry is how well they are able to achieve that in the context of others. Talent is present in differing levels in every person on the planet. Talent is not and never will be equal. Talent can be measured, and if something can be measured then it is not equal. Skills are learned behaviors or practices that can make someone more talented, but are not talent themselves. Skills are external facets that an individual learns over time. It is up to the leader to ensure that top talent is skilled in their job duties. For the sake of an organization, skills are traits or practices that you learn that can be both tangible (operational) and intangible (relational).

Becoming a Leader of Leaders

Top talent has a natural propensity to excel in both the tangibles and the intangibles. As a leader if you struggle to identify these in your own life and growth, then you will struggle to recognize them in others. This is why there are so few leaders of leaders. These apex leaders have a natural ability to assess both the tangible and intangible qualities of talent. Typically, these leaders are not 100% in their calls, but they have a much greater-than-average ability to read who the person is and what they may be capable of.

What qualities does top talent posses?

a – Has both Leadership and followership capacity. This cannot be stated enough that your top talent knows how to both judge and serve, direct and follow, & teach and be taught. Followership is the ability to know when to step and where to step. Leadership is directing and guiding the steps. Everyone can’t lead. Therefore, followership is critical of everyone in the organization. Top talent has an understanding of when to step up and when to step aside. They don’t fight for a position, they fight for a purpose.

b- Ability to attract others to themselves. Top talent are likeable, winsome people. They are talent magnets themselves. They are not bullies, bosses or tyrants. Top talent are the warm people who like a fire in the cold of winter draw others to themselves. They praise and encourage others because its a natural part of their personal composition.

c- Natural ownership of parts of the organization. Top talent doesn’t have to be told to take ownership. They naturally see needs and address them. Top talent doesn’t complain, they construct. Construction is the ability to see a need, diagnose the root, and put a plan in place to correct. Ownership is not a certificate or a pass to do what you want when you want it. True ownership is hyper-stewardship that is always working to grow the organization and those in the organization.

d- Ability to drive the organization forward. Not only are top talent naturally good at ownership of the organization, they also posses the ability to drive it forward to reach better results and desired outcomes. Top talent are drivers. They don’t wait for another to take the wheel and play the role of passenger. They want to drive the organization forward. They want to reach goals and see growth. They press into new places and new spaces along the way. Top talent doesn’t think they know where they are going, they actually chart a course, know the road, and start driving toward the destination. They also know when to yield the wheel when the time comes.

e- Are committed to personal growth. Top talent never have to be told to learn, because they are perpetual students. They not only learn, but they apply what they are learning. Top talent also teaches and instructs those around them. You can’t teach someone what you have learned. Top talent keep striving towards mastery. They are internally motivated and disciplined. When correction is needed they subject themselves willingly and make adjustments. Top talent will find their own mentors and models. They do not need to be assigned or told to learn from others. They are way ahead of their peers in this area.

Conclusion

As a leader, one of the most important roles you have is to get top talent in your organization. Once they are there, it is your job to ensure they are growing and developing. Organizations are living institutions comprised of humans who have differing levels of talent, skills, and ability. Top talent act as force multipliers in your organization. They have intangible qualities in amounts that others don’t or they use in them in ways that benefit the organization in ways others don’t. Leaders who farm talent out to others limit the their organization’s ability to reproduce leaders, reach desired outcomes, and sustain success. As John C. Maxwell said, if “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” then as a leader you must go find top talent to infuse energy and facilitate elevation in your organization.

Appendix:

The Three Ways to Measure Top Talent:

Composition, Capacity & Chemistry

The Five Qualities Top Talent Naturally Posses:

1- Has both Leadership & Followership Capacity

2-Ability to Attract Others to Themselves

3-Natural Ownership in the Organization

4-Ability to Drive Organization Forward toward Desired Outcomes or Goals

5- Commitment to Personal Growth