The Challenging Role of the Chief Talent Officer (CTO) or CHRO in Global Talent Development - only the strong need apply.

Blogger’s Note:  Two client presentations highlighting organizational talent initiatives were presented.  I’d like to combine them as a way to bring together the common challenges in front of us all -- as well as celebrate how talent professionals are working hard every day to make a difference in our most important asset -- our people.

Not an easy job…

The role of the talent officer is a special one.  It’s a difficult role to do well, somewhat akin to the Chief Internal Auditor or the Head of Quality.  All are responsible for getting things done the right way.  Strength, persistence, and reliance are needed for the role.  The CTO/CHRO role is to be the keeper of secrets, privy to the most sensitive information in the organization.  Anyone doing this job has to be comfortable with the board and must be a respected person with the utmost integrity.  We had two such individuals presenting today:

·         Jocelyne Blineau, Global Head of Talent Capability Development, Mars Inc.

·         Anneli Karkovirta, Global Organization Development Manager, Bekaert

About the Organizations:

·         Mars Inc.: In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. Samples of today’s Conference ‘freebies’ made by Mars were happily consumed by all Conference attendees.  More than 65,000 Associates worldwide are putting Mars’s principles in action every day to make a difference for people and the planet through performance. 

·         Bekaert:  The Bekaert journey started over 100 years ago in a small Belgium town creating deep roots within a family owned business as well as the West Flemish culture it thrived within.  Bekaert is steel wire company with 142 plants over the world.  Check your next champagne bottle cork wire as you open it -- That’s Bekaert!  An average car has 20 kilograms of Bekaert steel in it.  I was surprised to find we are in touch with Bekaert goods on a daily basis, yet are likely unaware of the impact. 

The Talent Agenda:

·         Mars Inc.: Senior Leadership at Mars (including the Mars family and the Presidents), believe strong leadership is core to the business. Mars has taken a proactive approach to the global implementation of their leadership competencies by identifying Mars Leadership Capabilities (MLCs) throughout their organization, serving as a foundation for their world-class leadership and talent development culture.  Commitment to talent is defined by every single individual who contributes in the organization – maximizing the potential for people and enabling the business to achieve its goals.  Many people stay at Mars for the length of their careers!  (Our speaker has over 2 decades with Mars). They make developing talent a competitive strength; and want to become a destination employer for a new generation of leaders.  Mars is consciously over-investing in talent as a pivotal growth engine.

·         Bekaert:  “Because bending wire creates great engineering minds, it does not necessarily create or foster the development of the best leadership capabilities.”  Bekaert, has evolved dramatically both in terms of size and complexity - and instead of jumping into a development cycle, they chose to pause, reflect and ask some questions about leadership intent: What is the glue of the company? (given their family roots). What kind of company do they want to be?  What kind of leadership do they need?  To answer this, Bekaert embarked on a Leadership Journey to build new leadership capabilities and to re-define their aspirations as a company - an exciting and challenging Leadership Journey which is ongoing and might never end.

Defining Talent Behaviors:

·         MARS Ins.:  Mars’ Leadership Capabilities are at the center of their Talent Wheel.  The outer large capability categories (6) each have a number of behaviors categorized within each of them (47).  No matter the level, every Mars associate must have some basic leadership capabilities like, delivering consistent results, and creating a collaborative environment.  And at the senior level, capabilities like creating breakthrough ideas, becomes mission critical.  Project phases include:

·         Understanding the capability framework and organizing all offerings within those capabilities – this involves securing sponsorship from senior leaders to gain buy-in

·         Mars Leadership College and curriculum development… over 10,000 trainers have been skilled up to deliver training, in many languages, and modalities (elearning has been used too)

·         Key enablers include the support of Korn/Ferry and Lominger consulting support, talent team deployment, HR leadership as ambassadors, and the senior leadership role in championing the project.

Bekaert: 

·         In partnership with Korn/Ferry Bekaert has created three leadership development:

Module 1)   Leading self (includes: values, POV, and the fact that everyone is a leader at Bekaert)

Module 2) Leading with others, (includes the “me and we”, embracing diversity, and the idea of acting as “One Bekaert”)

Module 3) Leading our global company (under development/to be continued) J

Special thanks to Jocelyne Blineau, and Anneli Karkovirta, strong talent officers working hard to make a difference!

LM