How to Deal with the Most Common Talent Dilemmas

If you ask any leader which decisions are the most challenging for them to make, chances are that their answer will be related to people. Whether it's hiring the wrong person or not addressing a performance issue quickly enough, issues with people can impact entire companies in very negative ways.

As most leaders have learned from firsthand experience, there's no magic solution to avoid every possible dilemma related to talent. That being said, there are clear steps that can prevent or at least minimize the likelihood of many issues arising.

To help provide some actionable insights that leaders can take away, we want to cover three of the most common dilemmas related to talent, as well as the most effective way to address them:

1. The Employee Who Doesn't Get the Promotion

Not everyone can get promoted. While promotions are essential for a business to continue growing, it's important for leaders to be aware of potential fallout. In addition to having strategies in place to support an employee's continued development, leaders also need to be ready in the event that promoting one employee results in another leaving the company.

2. Employees Who Continue Having Issues

An underperforming employee who's well liked and a high-performing employee with an attitude that negatively impacts a company's culture are two scenarios a leader may have to face. For a current employee who falls into either of those categories, the best thing for a leader to do is communicate clearly about the problems and then follow through on whatever action is promised based on how the employee reacts. While that's the best option for a situation that's not great, the ideal for leaders is to avoid it in the first place.

How can leaders avoid having to deal with a problematic employee? Accomplishing this goal starts with hiring. One of the reasons employers choose to work with a specialized recruiting firm is to get the comprehensive screening and matching help they need. By carefully looking into both skills and personality for candidates, employers can maximize the likelihood of choosing candidates that are a good fit across the board.

3. An Employee Who Doesn't Move Up with Their Promotion

Although promotions are generally what employees work for, they're not always able to move on when they get one. Plenty of leaders have given an employee a promotion, only to have that individual be held back as a result of continuing to do their old job. The best way to prevent recently promoted employees from sabotaging themselves is to ensure a successor is in place and that any outstanding responsibilities will be properly delegated.

By taking the time to think through potential dilemmas and come up with the best ways to handle them, leaders can ensure they're not caught off guard when they do find themselves faced with this kind of situation.