Talent Management Key to Victory in the Field

Ed Albertson
Vice President - National Accounts
Carew International, Inc.

"Of every one hundred men in battle, ten should not even be there, eighty are nothing but targets, nine are real fighters, we are lucky to have them...for they make the battle. Ah, but one, one of them is a WARRIOR... and he will bring the others home.” -Heraclitus, Roman General, 400 B.C.

Overlooking the obvious gender bias reflected by the times in the statement above, there is still merit reflected in the general assessment of an ancient fighting force and a possible parallel to today’s sales force. Given the successes of Heraclitus and his Roman Legions, it is ironic that victories were achieved with what amounts to a fighting force that was 90% ineffective (the eighty “targets” added to the ten “who should not be there”) and relied on the top 10% who were “real fighters” and among them, the 1% of its “warriors,” to carry the day and secure victory.

While in 400 BC there may have been some strategic value in having 80% of the field force serving the function of “targets,” perhaps protecting the 10% “real fighters,” today’s sales leaders can ill afford a field force that is only 10% effective. However, without a real Talent Management effort, many of today’s sales leaders are fighting their competitive battles with no clear understanding of their sales capacity. How many are in danger of losing the competitive edge when their most effective “fighters” move along to serve another company?

Research reported by Dave Hoffmeister, Director of Corporate Relations, DePaul University indicated:

-Over 2/3 of companies don’t know the cost of hiring their new talent

-Only 43% of companies have formal training processes

-25% of companies have a turnover rate greater than 20%

These statistics suggest a significant vulnerability in most companies’ approaches to acquiring, developing and managing talent -- the same talent companies depend upon to differentiate themselves in their markets and provide their future leadership. Considered in this light, it is almost unthinkable that Talent Management would be anything but the highest priority. Rarely is that the case. And when the statistics above are applied to a company’s sales force, the resulting vulnerability can be magnified due to the strategic value of the sales force in positioning products and services while creating value for customers in the process.

It may be time for companies to reconsider how Talent Management is handled and for companies to adopt a more structured process for acquiring, developing and managing a strategic sales force. Not only can Talent Management solutions reduce turnover by an average of 30%, but productivity can be expected to increase between 30 and 35%. There is no mystery to this wonderful rate of return. It is the result of effective candidate pre-screening, followed by an in-depth and comprehensive job competency assessment, and a targeted developmental plan through which high potential achievers can be identified and retained. With improved job fit, more-focused training and coaching, and continual support, a company can produce and maintain a higher ratio of “real fighters,” assuring more victories in the future.