As a natural observer, I am finding this year intriguing. When the economic crisis hit, I assumed that the majority of companies would freeze… and yes there was some icing up (especially in recruitment of new talent) - and yet there is some very interesting movement happening within organisations - I call it, “pick your winner first!”

What do I mean - well - essentially it means that current talent within your organisation is HOT property. Every business unit wants to ensure that they reach their projected income and associated targets. Every business unit leader knows that they need highly engaged talent to do that and every business unit leader knows that he who grabs (oops I mean secures) the talent first is ahead in the race.

My message to the leaders of business is this: a) Know what you want, b) Know who you want and c) Know how to get them. Clear communication of your business goals, honesty with prospective internal placements, recognition of achievement and nice rewards go a long way to securing the people you need. Rewards are diverse; from the obvious financial reimbursement to opportunities to shine in high visibility projects. Many of the talented professionals I speak to value a learning environment - where they are stretched and opportunities to gain new skills and experience are presented - training budgets may be reduced but should never be overlooked as a mechanism to retaining great talent.