$$ I$$m not sure what I will do if we lose her, Frank.$$ Janet Hillard, vice

president for ancillary services, was referring to Sylvia Winthrop, facilities

manager, who has worked at the hospital for seven years after a successful

career in management consulting. In fact, Winthrop$$s last client was

Central Columbia before Hillard offered her the role she has today.

Hillard continued, $$I$$m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon,

and I know Sylvia has higher career aspirations. Also, her mother recently

became ill, and she has talked with me about the possibility of moving

closer to her.$$

This was part of a broader conversation Hillard was having with Frank Scott,

HR manager. Each year, Scott held a one$-$on$-$one discussion with each

division head of the hospital to discuss the current organizational structure,

potential personnel changes and other HR challenges facing the division.

Scott was asked to use this model by Anita Green, president and CEO,

shortly after she joined the hospital. The HR director at the hospital where

Green last worked facilitated these conversations, and she felt they forced

each unit to take a deep look into its talent pool and address future staffing

challenges. Green expressed concern shortly after her arrival that HR was

not positioned effectively in the organization to appropriately address the

human capital challenges. To her, having one$-$on$-$one meetings with each

senior officer was an approach HR could use to elevate its position as a

business partner at the hospital.

Scenario B:

Talent Development

Hillard continued, $$Besides Sylvia, we don$$t have anyone whom I would

consider an $$A$$ player on my team. Sure, most are dedicated to the hospital,

have performed admirably and can step up when asked to in the short term,

but I$$m also thinking about the division five years down the road. I think

many of my direct reports have hit a ceiling as far as potential.$$ Pausing for

a moment, Hillard added, $$The bench in my division is not strong. That

said, if any of my direct reports leave, not just Sylvia, I see us having to look

outside the hospital to replace. And you know, Frank, how difficult it can be

to recruit talent for midlevel management positions in this area.$$

Scott listened intently and added, $$I know we are always competing with

the larger employers in the region with more resources at their disposal.$$

Looking concerned after Hillard$$s assessment, Scott took a deep breath

before asking, $$Well$,$ how can we help with developing your team? I guess

I$$m asking if they really have reached their full potential as you suggest.$$

Hillard responded in an uncertain manner, $$I wish I knew the answer. Your

department does a nice job of offering basic supervisory training sessions like

performance management and effective interviewing, Frank.$$

The HR department outsourced the majority of the training function. Scott

wanted approval to hire a person for this role. Until then, he worked with

outside consultants by offering supervisory training sessions, including

employment law, effective interviewing, performance management and

harassment prevention training. Leadership development was an area that

had not been addressed at Central Columbia. Development has historically

been the responsibility of each division. According to the hospital$$s annual

culture survey, though, employees felt that opportunities for long$-$term

growth were quite limited$.$

As Scott thought about the current state of Hillard$$s division, he added,

$$Maybe the ceiling is higher than we think for your team. I would like to

explore options about how we can determine their true potential.$$

With an inquisitive look, Hillard replied anxiously, $$What do you have in

mind, Frank?$$

Questions

$4.$ Assess the talent management approach Scott employs with division leaders of the hospital.

What are its strengths? What, if any, improvements would you recommend? Would you

consider this initiative succession planning? Why or why not?

$5.$ Based on the scenario, how could Scott obtain senior leadership support to address the

importance of talent development in the hospital? Provide a development plan that Scott and the

HR team could present to Hillard. What data should be used to justify hiring a T&D specialist?

$6.$ Hillard said that HR does a $$nice job of offering basic supervisory training.$$ Although offering

a variety of training programs to meet the organization$$s needs is critical, just as critical, if not

more, is evaluating the programs being offered. If you were responsible for evaluating the

supervisory training at Central Columbia, what tactics would you use based on the programs

Hillard identified in the scenario $($performance management and effective interviewing$)?$