Talent is a person’s innate ability to do things well. It is the intelligence to analyse a given situation and choose the most appropriate course of action to achieve the best possible outcome.
Synonyms for talent include intelligence, sharpness, insight, ingenuity, intellect, judgement, foresight, aptitude, ability, skill, dexterity, expertise and natural gift.
In companies such as Telefónica, there is talk of talent management and a commitment to its development, particularly internal talent. In fact, this is one of the six pillars underpinning Telefónica’s strategic plan for the next five years: transforming to grow.
Meritocracy is also a very important factor that must be taken into account. Positions and rewards must be allocated according to individual merit, talent, training and effort.
Leadership, for its part, is the ability to direct and take responsibility for carrying out a task, organising work or coordinating a group. The best leader is one who exercises leadership innately and spontaneously, without the need for identifying insignia.
In addition to talent and leadership, we must bear in mind that not everyone is good at everything. Each person excels more in some areas than in others, and true skill lies in getting the best possible result from each person based on the abilities they are best able to develop.
At times, education has worked in precisely the opposite direction: instead of nurturing innate abilities, it has focused on improving those that are less outstanding. In my view, that is a mistake. Human beings are social creatures; we live in communities, and it seems far more sensible to make the most of the aptitudes that each person possesses naturally in order to better achieve collective goals.
Sometimes, in large, hierarchical companies, we lose sight of the logic and coherence between talent, meritocracy and ability. Human beings are complex, non-linear, and there are many factors that can influence a reaction or a specific performance. Hence, people management is a crucial task within any organisation.
From this reality emerge other factors that also play a role, such as motivation, personal responsibility, a sense of belonging and internal organisation. It is important to feel like a valuable part of the company, however large it may be. Not to feel like a number, but as someone with the ability to transform, contribute and help the organisation move in the right direction.
After more than 30 years at Telefónica, my personal commitment is clear: to place people in the role that best suits their abilities, to motivate them, to give them responsibility, and to embrace less hierarchical structures, based on personal accountability and the value each individual brings to the team.
And, just as customers should be fans of their company, we must also turn employees into true supporters and ambassadors of the company. If we achieve all this, no challenge will be insurmountable. With a team like that, the future has no limits.
