"Keys to Getting the Most from your Opportunities in 2005"
By Bob Moore

What challenges and opportunities do you face as you launch off into the New Year?  What do you need to fully address them? If your answer is good people, implementing the following keys will provide some of the solution to attracting and turning good people into top talent.

Establish a Responsibility-Based Workplace
More than 70 percent of the employees in organizations surveyed recently are giving only part time effort in their jobs.  The kind of performance required to thrive in the competitive, global economy requires top talent who want to work in a responsibility-based workplace...a place where they have the opportunity to be accountable for personal results.  Control tactics such as narrow job descriptions and delayed performance appraisals typically inhibit accountability. Develop a plan to eliminate any control that prevents top talent from becoming accountable.

Become a Coach-based Manager
Maximize the contribution employees make toward achieving organizational objectives by becoming the catalyst for turning good people into top talent. This means becoming a coach-based manager by replacing typical management activities like supervising, checking, monitoring and controlling with new behaviors like masterful coaching and effectively communicating. Begin by developing a more flexible leadership style and determining the degree you are utilizing the talents required by your job. Consider hiring a personal coach to guide you through a rigorous personal discovery and development process. 

Implement a Talent Management Process
Top Talent exceeds the performance of average workers by at least 25 percent and in some cases 100 percent! It is essential that you implement a system for selecting and fully developing the best employees. Only a full bench of high performing employees will provide the added value that generates customer loyalty.  Begin by benchmarking your key positions and selecting toward that standard. Any other standard will be sub-standard and may place your organization at risk in the demanding, competitive environment unfolding in 2005.

Five-point Action Plan

1. What is the main thing or concept you are taking away from this article?
2. What application do you plan to make?
3. What benefit do you expect to get from doing so?
4. What single step you are willing to take within 48 hours to act on your intention?
5. Who will you tell of your intentions and ask for their support and encouragement?

I challenge you to immediately complete and implement your action plan. You hold the key to getting the most from your opportunities in 2005.