LOVE THE ONE(S) YOU’RE WITH: IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING TALENT 

Alistair SmithConsultant to FA Learning

“It’s better to invest in and develop the talent you already have, or know you can readily access, than to spend scarce resource looking elsewhere…”

Shift in Six Steps1. Envision Possibility 2. Embrace Opportunity3. Enrol Community 4. Empower Identity 5. Establish Accountability 6. Embed Practicality

ENVISION POSSIBILITY1. Branding Exercise

http://vimeo.com/39332554

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"When you've got excitement and talent, and can also have fun as a group, then those three things in the right balance give that talent the opportunity to express itself.”

Steve Hansen, Nov 2012

What makes the All Blacks great?

• Team Ethos• Playing and Coaching Resources• Succession planning with talent• High Performance Department• Age Related Development Approach • Part of the national culture • Playing style based on speed of decision-making

EMBRACE  OPPORTUNITY2. STEEP Analysis3. Future Basing4. Thinking Hats

Denial

Anger

Withdrawal

Acceptance

InsightEnergy

Time

Manage Resistance to Change

The Sigmoid curve: act early…

Time

Performance

AB

ENROL  COMMUNITY5. Generation Exercise

Four generations – what are the differences?

Baby BoomersOver 52 years old

Generation X36‐52 years old

Generation ZCurrently at school

Generation Y19‐35 years old

Defining moments

Ways you learned

Sport and Recreation you experienced

Values you developed

Technology you used

Four generations – how do you enrol them?

A Target Group?

ReadilyAccessible?

ClearBenefits to 

involvement?

Suitable Communication

Media 

Baby Boomers 52 plus

Generation X 36‐52

Generation Y 19‐35

Generation Z School

EMPOWER  IDENTITY6. Identikit Profile7. Improvement Teams8. Influencing Strategies

Love the One(s) You’re With1. Who are the key people you need to take with you on your journey?2. How can you influence these key people to travel with you on the journey?

Team Cohesion Sociogram

1

2

3

4

5

Identify the different influencing strategies for each individual, pair or unit

Decision making is shaped by the networks we operate within. Identify the Connectors,Mavens and Sellers and influence:

1. sell benefits, not features2. attach importance to consistency with values3. use the social cohesion of the group4. create a reciprocal arrangement 5. exploit scarcity of time, opportunity or cost6. provide endorsements from status figures

ESTABLISH   ACOUNTABILITY9. Problem Page Exercise

Problem PageUse one side of the postcard to give an outline of a specific challenge you face in your role. Describe the problem in sufficient detail for another group to be able to offer some solutions…

EMBED  PRACTICALITY10. Prioritisation Matrix

consensual decision making

IMPACT

DO‐ABILITY

4

4

3

3

2

1

1 2

High

HighLow

Prioritisation matrixHow do we deliver a mentoring programme?

Approach  Do‐ability Impact1. Make it voluntary 3 1

2. Make it compulsory 1 4

3. Create our own programme 1 2

4. Buy in a programme 3 2

5. Accredit through 1st4 Sport 3 2

6. Accredit ourselves 1 1

7. Accredit through University 3 4

8. Seek a commercial partner 1 4

consensual decision making

IMPACT

DO‐ABILITY

4

4

3

3

2

1

1 2

High

HighLow

8

1

2

3 4 5

6

7

Shift in Six Steps1. Envision Possibility 2. Embrace Opportunity3. Enrol Community 4. Empower Identity 5. Establish Accountability 6. Embed Practicality

LOVE THE ONE(S) YOU’RE WITH: IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING TALENT Alistair SmithConsultant to FA Learningal@alistairsmithlearning.com