2.3: Exploring talent development in practice - Part 2

When you are ready, one member of your group should post a summary of your agreed learning points on the whole tutor group TGF discussion thread that your tutor will have started for this activity. Read the posts from each of the other groups and try to respond to at least one of the others.

Discussion by Group 2

Eve Hamilton, Jordan Michael Hector, David Brian Hilton, Leah Agnethe Jespersen.

Please work on Activity 2.3 individually and then post answers to the following questions here.

When you have posted your individuals responses by 14 May 2021, start discussing the important aspects of your discussion until 21 May 2021. Please make sure to appoint one member to post your group answer in the related thread by 25 May 2021.

Questions to discuss here:

  1. Introduce your organisation to the rest of the group (sector, size, etc.)
  2. Give some example of the talent development initiatives in your organization.
  3. Would you say that the talent development strategy is inclusive or exclusive and defined broadly or narrowly? Does it use a blended approach?
  4. What do you regard as the main strengths and weaknesses of this organization’s approach to talent development?
Common themes emerging from over 20 different definitions of HRD:
  • Developing knowledge, skills and competencies (92%)
  • Enhancing human potential and personal growth (83%)
  • Improving individual or group effectiveness and performance (79%)
  • Improving organisational effectiveness and performance (37%)
  • Explicit mention of organisational change and organisational development (12%)

(Adapted from Hamlin and Stewart, 2011, p. 210)


Within the wider context of talent management, talent development has the following aims:

  • to complement workforce planning by identifying knowledge, skills and abilities required to meet current and future business needs
  • to engage and retain staff (based on the assumption that investment in employee development shows that employees are valued)
  • to develop learning interventions that are:
    • linked to business objectives (to support flexibility in a fast-changing environment)
    • smart and efficient (making good use of internal expertise and resources)
    • dynamic and constantly reviewed.

An inclusive view of talent management reflects a HRD approach and clearly requires HRD practitioners to be flexible and have the skills to be able to offer many different types of training and development across the organisation. These HRD interventions need to be regularly reviewed and evaluated.