JWI520 People Management

Week 6 Assignment  

Introduction

Part of the power of understanding your top employees as “Talent” is the ability to assess their potential in light of their performance and values. The use of a simple Talent matrix can make the assessment process very powerful. This process also helps you to analyze your team and to plan for management of each employee in the future.Jack Welch believes that effective talent management requires you to divide up your people into three levels: the top 20%, the middle 70%, and the bottom 10%. It is important to provide leadership development options to the top 20% group early in their careers, since they will be your future leaders.

Four Quadrants Chart

Type 1:

High Performance,

High Values

Type 4:

High Performance,

Low Values

Type 2:

Low Performance,

Low Values

Type 3:

Low Performance,

High Values

One tool used to support the Welch approach to talent management is a matrix based on four different combinations of performance and values. To prepare for this exercise, look carefully at the Four Quadrants Matrix above; then read the sample Rationale statement on the next page. The Rationale describes each employee’s performance and level of alignment with the company’s core values and indicates the manager’s plans for supervising each employee in the future.

Instructions

This exercise is designed to give you practical experience in using the Four Quadrants Matrix to differentiate your employees and to make plans for managing them in the future. Use the Four Quadrants Matrix above as a framework to assess your direct reports in your current workplace. If you have no direct reports, use a group of individuals with whom you are familiar. Create a Talent Engagement Chart, like the sample chart below, with a row for each employee.

• Include an introduction and a conclusion

• Include 4 to 6 employees from your workplace in your chart

• List and clearly define the core values you will use to assess your employees

• Use first names only and change the names if you wish

• For each individual, create a row in the chart

Your task is to select one Quadrant for each employee and to indicate the placement that you chose in the Type column. Think carefully about the core values of your company and use them to assess these employees. Describe the company’s core values in your Introduction. Then write a Rationale statement of 4 to 6 paragraphs, explaining why you positioned each person in the selected quadrant, assessing their work and describing how well they align with the core values. Also indicate your plans for managing each employee in the future. In writing your Rationale, use the sample statement on the next page as a guide. Finally, in your Conclusion, sum up the benefits of using the Talent Engagement tool.

Talent Engagement Chart (sample)

Employee Type

Katelyn Type 1: High Values, High Performance

Jacquelyn Type 1: High Values, High Performance

Shannon Type 3: Low Performance, High Values

Sabrina Type 3: Low Performance, High Values

Cherie Type 4: High Performance, Low Values

Glenn Type 2: Low Values, Low Performance

Rationale (sample)

Katelyn and Jacquelyn are both incredibly ambitious and talented, and I consider them to be the top talent on this team. They align with our company’s results focus, as they always over-deliver on their goals, and they also fit well with our focus on continuous learning, as they are always looking for ways to learn more.

They both demonstrate our core value of flexibility, as they are keen to take on new challenges and to experience different roles. I think it will be important to challenge these employees and to give them some management experience, by putting them in charge of a project or a small team in the near future.

Sabrina and Shannon are both well aligned to the team in terms of core values, but they are currently not performing up to their potential. Both of these employees have the ability to be productive employees, but they are not highly passionate in their current roles.

Sabrina has been with the team less than a year; she is still learning and not positioned in exactly the right role. She does not yet have the confidence to perform up to her potential, but she adheres to our core value of team orientation, stepping up to support her coworkers and always putting the customer first. She needs to be given new challenges in a step-by-step manner. I believe that, in time, she will gain confidence, improve her performance, and be a productive team player.

Shannon is more experienced than Sabrina and more confident. Even though Sabrina exhibits the core value of dependability, she sometimes needs an extra push to get the job done. She is fully capable of doing a great job if placed in the right position. She is a steady worker, but she is not performing up to her potential in her current administrative role. She is coasting along and does not seem keen to learn new skills and get to the next level. I believe the key to enhancing her performance is to find a customer-facing position for her. She has excellent people skills and this type of role would use her abilities better, as well as most likely leading her to want to develop professionally.

Cherie has managed purchasing and vendor relations for the team for four years. I became her manager 4 months ago. She is efficient and productive, but can be brusque with co-workers and she rarely attends office events. Cherie does not align with our core value of flexibility. She is inflexible when working with team members and shows little interest in professional development. She attends team meetings but rarely contributes to team discussion. I provided candid feedback in our month three review meeting about the behavior changes I am looking for: particularly, better teamwork and willingness to learn new skills. If I do not see significant changes in the next 6 months, I will not wish to keep her on the team.

Glenn was assigned to my team nine months ago, to provide data analysis for our team. He is a capable data analyst, but he does the minimum amount of work needed to fulfill his tasks. In addition to his lack of motivation, he does not adhere to our core values of professionalism and team orientation. He is often late to work and sometimes leaves early, without informing me. At our month three and month six review meetings, I was candid with Glenn and told him I needed to see regular attendance, more support of his coworkers, and better communication, but I have seen no change. I believe it is time to let go of this employee; I am meeting with HR next week to discuss the next steps to put this decision into effect.

Formatting Requirements

• Submission includes a Talent Engagement Chart, with a row for each employee

• The written exercise is typed and double-spaced, with a professional font (size 10 – 12)

• Includes a Cover Page with the assignment title, your name, the professor’s name, course title, and date

• Includes an Introduction and a Conclusion

• Includes a Rationale statement of 4 to 6 paragraphs

• The exercise text is written in a formal manner, with correct spelling and grammar

• The Cover Page is not included in the required page length

NOTE: See the JWMI Writing Standards Guide for professional writing requirements for your assignments.