One day our family adopted a turtle. I remember when we gave in before the eyes of my youngest daughter at the pet store (rather like Puss in Boots making eyes at me in the movie Shrek… absolutely irresistible!). In short, it was Christmas and we came back home with the small (very small) Florida turtle with a little aquarium that fitted perfectly on my youngest daughter’s night table.
Six years have passed and this morning I have been looking at the pond. I see it now trying desperately to escape. Over the years several aquariums have taken turns to accompany the animal’s development until finally reaching installation two years ago of a pool that took its place in the corner of the main floor lounge. The arrangement is certainly beautiful with wooden contour, green plants and a small fountain so the animal can have “fun”. But the problem is that the animal is not having fun any more. Too cramped, its only objective is to escape as fast as possible! It’s not possible to enlarge the pond short of installing an indoor swimming pool (the President of the Family Council vetoed this). I looked at it and realised that we are at an impasse. So I am yielding to the proof that our story has come to an end and with a strong feeling of guilt am now searching for a career transition service for a turtle.
How many turtles or fishes in the same position do you have in your organization? And are you feeling too cramped yourself? When it comes time to hire, we often have the annoying tendency to let ourselves get carried away by the desire to do a “good deed”. Recruit outstanding talent, convince someone with exceptional talent to jump into our (little?) boat. The temptation is high for the recruiter and for the candidate who will find himself all at once master of the ship. Yet the outcome is often the same. The person with exceptional talent at one time or other feels cramped in his chair. Despite his status as CEO or Senior Executive, he has little space to spread his wings. He has the impression that he lacks resources or means, for financing, for major projects that stimulate him and his development isn’t moving ahead fast enough for his taste. He is an agent of change , which is why you hired him, but the problem is that your organization is not able to keep pace with him or that it is simply not ready, despite appearances.
What to do? Did we have eyes bigger than our stomach? All the programs for management and development of high potential have their limits: those of our organization. Do we need to be limited in our ambition to recruit the best? Nobody wants to stay small. No organization wants to stay in a straightjacket, yet we must be realistic. Sometimes, our aquarium can’t be enlarged. Some markets are limited or highly specialized – a small niche, even if it’s very lucrative, is still a niche. In this case, it’s necessary to accept that an individual will leave the organization at some point to pursue their development. Just as we have to accept that a person who was best equipped to support growth may be more than what we need. Venture capital experts know something. The entrepreneur-founder of the company is rarely the person who will take it to the multinational stage. Certainly there are the Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or closer to us the Laliberté, Lemaire, Péladeau and Sirois, but these are exceptions.
What recruiters and human resources departments absolutely must consider before hiring a big fish or even young potential with very high growth potential (i.e., a Florida turtle…) is the time factor. How long will it take for him to mature in our company? Do we have enough projects and “fuel”, as some call it, to feed him and keep him motivated and engaged? If the response is not as clear as spring water, pass your turn and don’t succumb to the temptation to thumb your nose at the competition by snagging the superstar.
Develop your internal talents and potentials while remaining lucid when you come across someone who goes well beyond your abilities. Then enjoy all their potential and drive to create a dynamic of excellence in the organization but get ready for the day when they change aquariums.
This column reminds me of a discussion with Tom DeLong, a professor at Harvard, about “B Players” in our organizations. Teaching at the North American temple of excellence, he argued in front of our completely stunned class that we should be more focused on our B Class employees rather than betting everything on our A Players (ultra-high performers). “B players are the "heart and soul" of any company. They are loyal. They are the ones who do their work without fanfare or fuss. They are the keepers of institutional memory during crises or hard times.”
I invite you to think about this while watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvij3cKyQGU&noredirect=1 and reading: Are You Supporting Your B Players? http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/3558.html .
In the end, there is no career transition firm for the Florida Turtle and I cannot bring myself to abandon it. So, I’m throwing out the following call:
“Pretty Florida turtle seeks new family home with a sufficiently large pool to allow it to frolic and stretch its fins. Anyone interested should make it known by demonstrating their real interest in the animal and their ability to look after it (space and environment).” Please contact this columnist directly.