TALENT OPTIMIZATION • DIAGNOSE
DIAGNOSE is part four of the four-part talent optimization framework. This is where you’ll measure critical people data, analyze that data in the context of your business, and prescribe remedies as needed.
Why diagnosis is important to talent optimization?
Consider how a medical doctor uses reliable lab results to measure a person’s overall health, evaluates the data in the context of any problems, and acts to correct any issues. A talent optimizer employs a similar methodology. Best practice for a business is to identify potential problems proactively by diagnosing preventatively; this is what smart organizations do. But there will always be gaps between what you think will happen and what actually happens. This is why companies often diagnose in response to problems (e.g., “not meeting sales goals” or “high turnover.”)
Diagnose is a method for pinpointing the root cause of gaps—your underlying people problems—and making strategic changes or changes to day-to-day execution. The insights you uncover in diagnose typically point back to the other three aptitudes of talent optimization: design, hire, and inspire. Businesses that collect and analyze their people data and then make necessary adjustments proactively will enjoy a more productive and engaged workforce; instead of letting problems build up and fester, addressing them quickly shows employees they care.
The diagnose aptitude is composed of three activities that repeat in a loop
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Measure what matters
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Analyze the evidence
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Prescribe improvement actions