Dancing with the Talent Stars: 25 Moves That Matter NowA few thought-provoking insights from Kevin Wilde’s leadership development book, Dancing with the Talent Stars: 25 Moves That Matter Now:

“Strong learning practices make the difference. Smart organizations invest consistently in learning, master the essential moves, ensure that what is taught transfers and use partners well for superior performance.”

“At the onset of a career, technical skills matter more than managerial or strategic leadership. Becoming an executive shifts the order of importance … moving from manager to executive requires new skills. Most new executives think they have arrived and no longer need to keep up a rigorous personal learning agenda. Further, they often become deaf to negative feedback. If that happens, sooner or later the derailment bullets start flying.”

“Only about a third of leaders need to focus on the negative or “developmental opportunities” found in a (360 assessment) report. Most of us obsess about any feedback as threatening criticism … most would benefit by looking for good, relevant behaviors to strengthen. Good 360 practices reinforce that approach and provide useful tools and support to easily translate strength building to practical actions.”

“One of the most significant contributions we (HR and development professionals) can make to an organization is to remove barriers. Every program and learning event can either reinforce existing boundaries or chip away at the walls inside an enterprise … it all starts with re-examining your role as bridge builder in your organization.”

“There is a science to great HR, and we diminish our professional standing by over-customization. Do responsible finance professionals let line leaders create their own accounting standards? The application of a standard process eliminates waste and maximizes effectiveness.”

“Half of the time and resources to any new practice, such as a new leadership model or assessment tool, should be devoted to communication and capability training as the program is launched.”