Bench Strength - Robert Barner

This is a must read for people hoping to learn strategies on how to manage talent in an organisation. The book explains how different strategies trade-off in terms of benefits, strengths and drawbacks, depending on the structure of your organisation.

Here are my three main takeaways:

1. A useful framework to analyse future leaders uses three dimensions- ability, engagement and aspiration. It gives a manager an idea how to unleash the potential in an underperforming leader. Based on a study, 10% of managers are missing ability (engaged dreamers) - these hv little success climbing the ladder. 43% are missing engagement, and these have hv 13% chance of success at the next managerial level. However, 47% of the employees who are missing aspiration hv 44% chance of success at the next level. Hence, target the employees who are underperforming due to aspiration first.
2. Capstone vs Foundation strategies for talent management. Capstone - use when resources are limited and there's little line of sight to talent - want to create competitive platform for leadership talent. Good in deploying the best people, but may lead to overlooking of solid performersFoundation - use when resources are ample, you know where your talent are, and cultural indoctrination is a key objective. Supports strong value / cultural messages, but dilutes the focus on the high performers. To effectively use the Capstone strategy, one needs to hv a process for tracking the hiring source for HIPO leaders.
3. Stream or pool strategy. Based on the assumption that most talents can fit into most places, the company maintains and steadily recruits into a pool of talent that it taps on to fill positions. A pool strategy offers flexible arrangement for both talent and organisation, as both can select from a range of optionsUseful for fluid organisational structures and where there is a broad base of talent to draw from. On the other hand, the stream strategy presumes a stable and organised hierarchy, and critical leadership positions that require pre-identification. Streaming allows for more intensive and effective use of talent resources. In an organisation, a hybrid can be used - i.e. pool for the lower rungs of the management ladder, and stream for the highest positions.