Unleash Talent Don’t Manage It

Recently I was speaking with Steve Laymon, Associate Dean of the Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago about Talent Management. Steve said, “you can’t manage talent, you can only unleash it.” I wholeheartedly agree with Steve. And that got me thinking about what happens when you put the word management after anything. With management comes programs, and when any process or method becomes programmatic, it takes on the characteristics of the bureaucracy it is seeking to change. This certainly applies to Change Management.
The hidden meaning in words talent management or change management, is you can get the outcomes you want if you push the right levers. If you follow the prescription, you will get the cure. This is a false promise. Anyone who has ever tried to change anything knows that change is messy. Change management’s promise is, order, control, and predictable results. If only it were that easy.