Predicting Talent: The Track Record Myth

Looking for successful track record is an easy way to assess a potential employee, but is a poor indicator of whether or not that candidate is Talent with a capital “T.” It is impossible to retroactively discern what part a candidate played in a success or failure without understanding what context and external factors were at play. Instead, the best leaders understand that the only way to find talent is not to look for it in the past, but to look for its marker. These markers have nothing to do with knowledge and skills, and everything to do with the potential to achieve excellence in the future, regardless of circumstances. This breakout session will explain how skills, talent potential, judgment, and cultural fit are four separate things, how to optimize the selection process to identify the best candidates, and to ask the right questions for an accurate talent assessment.