Rethinking Talent Decisions and Navigating Subjectivity in HR
The decision-making process regarding talent is as complex as it is crucial. Talent decisions can shape the course of a company's future and the lives of its employees. Today, we dive into this intricate web of decision-making with an expert whose insights challenge conventional paradigms.
In this expert interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Sharna Wiblen, author of an insightful new book, "Rethinking Talent Decisions: A Tale of Complexity, Technology and Subjectivity". Together we unpack the nuanced role of subjectivity in talent decisions and the symbiotic relationship between technology and human judgment in the workplace.
The uncomfortable truth is that decisions about talent are invariably coloured by personal perceptions, and instead of shying away, Sharna argues that we should lean into this discomfort to emerge with more informed and nuanced strategies. From the embrace of advanced analytics to the discernment of human insights, Sharna's insights offer a compass for navigating the murky waters of talent management, technology's burgeoning role in decision-making, and the imperatives for HR professionals in an era of unprecedented change.
In our conversation we explore the prevalence of subjective judgment even in data-driven environments, the dangers of oversimplifying human talent into binary choices, and the innovative paths forward in talent management. Enjoy!
1. In your recently published book "Rethinking Talent Decisions" you discuss the topic of subjectivity, can you explain the role that subjectivity plays in talent-related decisions within an organisation?
Ah, yes, subjectivity. Referring to subjectivity seems to elicit an allergic reaction for some people. Talking about subjectivity appears to be quite uncomfortable. But, in my book and my executive teaching, I am trying to get decision-makers to revisit their relationship with subjectivity and to get them to embrace the discomfort.
I am trying to get decision-makers to acknowledge an uncomfortable truth – that talent decisions are always subjective. So much so that I included subjectivity in the book's title – Rethinking Talent Decisions: A Tale of Complexity, Technology, and Subjectivity.
Let me elaborate on the undeniable role of subjectivity in talent decisions.
All talent decisions, whether good, bad, strategic, or operational, start with a thought. And because all of our thoughts, both yours and mine, are subjective, all talent decisions start with human subjectivity. Human subjectivity, therefore, is always a core input into talent decisions.
When we consider talent management, we realise that, in practice talent management is really about judging value. Decision-makers judge the value of specific individuals within a workforce; relevant stakeholders make decisions based on judgments of value, and then decision-makers make decisions about how to allocate resources. The allocation of resources is based on those initial thoughts about who and what is valuable. When broken down into its foundational parts, talent management essentially involves subjective judgments about value. And there's that uncomfortable subjectivity again.
iii. Subjectivity is at play even when we use analytics and data-driven decision-making. The talent data captured and analysed comes from humans. Humans input the data; The data and scores are founded on subjective thoughts. Based on their thoughts and expectations, humans interpret various types of talent data. Humans have further subjective thoughts about the data and make decisions to act or not act on this data.
Even though 'objective' decisions are heralded as the gold standard, the role of subjectivity is undeniable. Our collective challenge, therefore, is to acknowledge the where, when, and how of subjectivity in talent decisions.
2. In what areas of talent management do you believe subjectivity is most prevalent, and why?
Subjectivity is most prevalent in talent identification. There are three reasons why subjectivity plays such a pivotal role. One, is that talent identification focuses on identifying value to differentiate between the workforce to determine which individuals are valuable or of greater value.
And I've already mentioned that value-based judgments are founded on subjective thoughts. The second reason is key decision-makers' propensity to rely on their subjective observations as the basis for identifying talent. This is known as the "I Know Talent when I see it" approach. The reliance on 'seeing talent' is an aspect of talent management I've been examining for over a decade. (I've even published a journal paper on this topic with Kristine Dery and David Grant on this very topic).
The propensity for decision-makers to rely on their observations as a means for talent identification is founded on the assertion that they have intrinsic insights. We could say that they some decision-makers think they have a 'talent' for 'seeing' talent. But we know what you see, David, and what I see as Sharna, can differ greatly.
Again, we can't evade subjectivity when using technology, algorithms, and data to identify talent. Scoring individuals according to performance and/or potential involves subjective assertions about what a '3", '4' or '5' looks, behaves, and acts like. And again, we know that what I consider a '5', can be very different from you, David.
You also include 'technology' in the title of your book. Why is technology such a key theme?
The talk about talent must include talk about technology because the two are interconnected and share in a reciprocal relationship. Neither talent nor technology are useful in their own right. Whether referring to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Human Resource Information (HRIS) systems, software-as-a-service, or Generative AI, we are seeing an increase in positioning technology as a key decision-maker.
Today's technological innovations give rise to the potential depreciation of human agency in decision-making, and I want us a collective group to reflect on whether this evolution and change is best for individuals, teams, functions, organisations and broader society.
I wanted to explicitly recognise that technology – the software and codes – along with technology vendors (the external providers) are now discrete characters in talent decisions. I hope that including technology in the title helps us recognise technology has a voice in talent decisions.
3. How can HR professionals ensure they're making decisions that truly serve the company's best interests?
We can start by recognising that an 'organisation' is a group of individuals, individuals that are organised under a particular company, and everyone, regardless of their specific function or seniority, have different interests. Individuals act in ways that align with their own interests. The challenge, therefore, is to have individual and collective interests align as much as possible.
HR professionals can start by examining the basis for their decision-making and analysing how they can think in ways that align with and support operational needs and strategic imperatives. I advocate for responsible decision-making, where decisions are deliberate, intentional, and informed.
Pursuing responsible talent decisions enables HR professionals to understand and then question their thinking and actions daily. Understanding and improving everyday decision-making is the key to uniting individual, HR and organisational needs and interests.
4. Why is it problematic to reduce talent decisions to binary choices?
Where do I start? Reducing talent decisions to binary choices is so problematic. So problematic because talent can't be deduced to a series of '0's and '1's', to a set of 'yes' or 'no' answers. Take us for example, how useful would it be evaluate you and I on a yes/no spectrum.
If we evaluate me as talent and give me a 1, then you, David is allocated a 0. We both know it's not, nor is it ever that simple. And how we each respond to the binary decision-making process depends on which side we land on. I might be more accepting because I received the 1 and was identified as talent, while you're beside me saying" But wait…" or "but what about…".
Talent decisions should never rely on binary – yes or no evaluations because talent is dynamic. Sophisticated decision makers realise that key questions are not about whether or not someone or something is or is not talent, but rather their value within a particular context or task. Sophisticated decision-makers know that they must use a framework that allows them to recognise the value of a kaleidoscope of talent colours, recognise value and invest in idiosyncrasies and colour outside the binary bounded talent boxes.
An ability to colour outside the box and recognisea spectrum of talent is essential for recognising the multifaceted contributions individuals can make to organisational success. I use a guiding principle that may help HR professionals embrace this approach and it is: "Talent is so complex and includes all the subtleties of life that it cannot be reduced to a single score, digit or numerical value. Talent is rainbow rather than black and white."
5. What alternatives would you suggest for organisations that are trying to navigate the complexities of talent evaluation?
Start with an AND mentality and approach. I recognise that decision-makers, and HR professionals specifically, have compliance and control-based requirements, and we can pursue talent decisions in systematic ways to support these requirements. AND we can custom design talent decision frameworks. Think of it in terms of investing in both a project and custom home simultaneously. A project home (an externally designed framework) prioritises a fit-for-coverage approach and restricts decisions to pre-defined and specific criteria and processes.
A custom-built home (aka talent decision framework) helps us advance fit-for-purpose approaches. Fit-for-purpose approaches allows us to unpack the basis for talent decisions – the why – and respond to external context changes and opportunities. An AND approach, which might be perceived as a scarier undertaking because it removes some of the shackles and emphasises internally designed talent frameworks, is a means to embrace rather than minimise the complexity of talent decisions and meet organisational needs.
6. What are the key features of an algorithm or technology solution that helps talent decisions?
Algorithms and technologically enabled talent decision processes can be of significant use. Algorithms and technology are great for areas where all-purpose talent meanings contribute to organisational effectiveness. There are some teams and functions we can erect useful boundaries around the who, what and how of talent.
A systematic approach facilitated through algorithms can be essential for some aspects of talent management because it provides a set of procedures that allocate authority and offers mandates for actions. We can adopt this approach in areas that benefit from control mechanisms and where scaling talent decisions generates 'good enough' results.
This assertion comes with a caveat. I am assuming that HR professionals have done their due diligence and designed the criteria and allocated algorithmic weightings in ways that allow them to achieve their desired outcomes. The same benefits may not apply if HR professionals and relevant stakeholders use the algorithms primarily as the vendor designed.
7. What future trends do you foresee in the realm of talent decision-making and HR technology?
Thinking about and having subjective thoughts about future trends is a fun part of what I get to do. I enjoy thinking about the future for individuals, workplaces, and broader society. One thing I think we will see is an increased appreciation for the subjective nature of talent decisions.
I think we will come to understand that pursuing objective decision-making is founded on flawed assumptions and hinders our ability to achieve that which we set out to achieve. Investing in human decision-making will become a core differentiator as decision-makers and HR professionals recognise or re-recognise that guiding the actions of their workforce is key.
A second aspect associated with HR technology specifically is that more and more HR professionals will advocate for investment in designing and using in-house systems. As time progresses, many more HR professionals are recognising the practical limitations of vendor-designed systems and the misalignment of interests between HR technology vendors and organisations – whereby technology vendors prioritise fit-for-sale, not fit-for-purpose frameworks will continue to unravel.
Investing in an AND approach which we talked about earlier, will enable organisations to transition away from imitation strategy – whereby everyone is doing essentially the same talent things – to one of customisation and investing in talent as per their specific context and strategic imperatives.
Another, and potentially more fundamental trend is a change in how we think about talent. Currently, talent is a human-based phenomenon. Whether we focus on individuals, skills and capabilities within individuals, or filling pivotal roles and positions with humans, we assert that talent resides in individual humans.
The 'Space Race' and the intentional differences in talent management strategies between Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezo's Blue Origin, points to a changing talent guard whereby technology becomes the key decision maker. Reflecting on the Space Race and advances in Generative AI hints to a possibility that more and more decision-makers position 'technology' at the forefront of their talent management strategies.
8. Could you share a final piece of advice for HR professionals looking to improve their talent decision-making process?
Yes, sure thing. One final piece of advice involves encouraging HR professionals to recognise the power of a single decision. An argument I make in my new book is that accumulating deliberate, intentional, and informed decisions can unleash exponential returns.
The idea underscores that every decision, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, has the potential for substantial positive and negative impact. I have a call to action for HR professionals and that is to invest in incrementally improving their decisions and fully appreciate that their decisions, the decisions they make each and every day – can fundamentally transform an individual, team, a function and an organisation. Improving the quality of everyday decisions contributes to significant returns in terms of talent optimisation and organisational effectiveness.
The power of improving human decision-making remains profound even within technological innovations because creativity and ethical considerations remain at the forefront of daily interactions and strategic initiatives. So now is the time to focus on and invest in improving human decision-making.
THANK YOU
Thanks to Sharna for her time and for sharing her views on subjectivity and how we can all look to make better decisions when it comes to talent. If you want to find out more, you can follow Sharna on LinkedIn, visit her website , and find out more about Sharna's book: Rethinking Talent Decisions: A Tale of Complexity, Technology, and Subjectivity.
If you'd like to explore more of Sharna's work, take a look at some of the fantastic articles she's written below:
What the Space Race is illuminating about the shifting boundaries of Talent
Digitalised talent management and automated talent decisions: the implications for HR professionals (peer-reviewed academic paper with Janet Marler)
Digitalised Talent Management: Navigating the Human-Technology Interface (featuring contributions from Alec Levenson, Janet Marler and Lexy Martin, Kristine Dery, Sophie Goodman, Jeroen Meijerink, and Andy Charlwood)
How can companies promote talent if they can't agree on what that is? (with Anthony McDonnell)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Sharna Wiblen is an author, award-winning educator, and academic who specialises in talent management, digitalisation, organisational effectiveness and the future of work.
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