WHAT IS TOP TALENT AND HOW IS THAT IDENTIFIED?

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As a part of our talent acquisition engagements, we ask our clients how they define “top talent” and how they would assess those traits in the interview process. Reflecting on the insightful comments we hear every day, we thought there would be great value in a new blog in which senior executives/thought leaders share their “Take on Talent.”

This is the twenty-seventh in a series of blogs/interviews with senior executives who are thought leaders in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Career Development and Leadership who will share their perspectives on this ever present question.

 

Becky Schmitt leads all aspects of people management and company culture at Cognizant, one of the world’s leading professional services companies that is transforming clients’ business, operating, and technology models for the digital era. She has more than 20 years of HR leadership experience, including previous roles as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Sam’s Club, and various HR leadership roles at Accenture. Becky received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and serves as a Board Member at Large for the Girls Scouts of America.

 

Please share with us the top five characteristics (in priority order, first to fifth) of the most talented people you have encountered during your career, and your definition of each. Continue reading →

WHAT IS TOP TALENT AND HOW IS THAT IDENTIFIED?

Posted on

As a part of our talent acquisition engagements, we ask our clients how they define “top talent” and how they would assess those traits in the interview process. Reflecting on the insightful comments we hear every day, we thought there would be great value in a new blog in which senior executives/thought leaders share their “Take on Talent.”

This is the twenty-sixth in a series of blogs/interviews with senior executives who are thought leaders in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Career Development and Leadership who will share their perspectives on this ever present question.

 

Esteban Herrera is the Senior Vice President and Head of B&PS Atos|Syntel North America. He is responsible for managing the $1+Billion Applications and Platforms business in North America. The organization is the fusion of Atos’ applications portfolio and the Syntel acquisition. He leads a rich portfolio of applications and platforms solutions through a variety of sales, marketing, delivery and operations functions to create secure, de-carbonized digital value for his North American clients. He is a member of the Atos North America Executive Committee. He also leads Atos|Syntel’s global Public Sector and Defense business unit.

 

 

Please share with us the top five characteristics (in priority order, first to fifth) of the most talented people you have encountered during your career, and your definition of each.

Empathy. I was taught that business isn’t about making friends, it’s about making money. As I have grown older and wiser, I’ve changed. Life is too short to spend it with jerks. Furthermore, unpleasant people weigh down the team. They tend to use fear and authority over understanding and analysis. I am happier when I work with pleasant people. I know that when I am happier, I deliver better results. This doesn’t mean rolling over anytime there is a disagreement. Differences of opinion are healthy and necessary. Empathetic people take those differences and make better decisions. They make the best leaders, because they know what makes each person tick. That knowledge helps maximize their contribution. They serve clients the best, because empaths understand why they behave how they do. They make the best colleagues, because collaboration is natural to them. Empaths are great with feedback, because they absorb the human context.

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WHAT IS TOP TALENT AND HOW IS THAT IDENTIFIED?

Posted on

 

As a part of our talent acquisition engagements, we ask our clients how they define “top talent” and how they would assess those traits in the interview process. Reflecting on the insightful comments we hear every day, we thought there would be great value in a new blog in which senior executives/thought leaders share their “Take on Talent.”

This is the twenty-fifth in a series of blogs/interviews with senior executives who are thought leaders in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Career Development and Leadership who will share their perspectives on this ever present question.

 

Mike Ettling is a CEO, Investor, builder of world-class teams, champion of diversity and continuous learner, and is passionate about people. From his first leadership role in the Boy Scouts, to exec positions in the tech industry, his career has revolved around elevating, engaging and enabling people.Mike joined Unit4 to get the market as excited in its unique approach to enterprise tech as he is. Unit4 is focused on building systems that change how people experience work. We’re building systems that change how people experience work, and the impact in the future will be huge. Outside of work Mike is a family man, a Liverpool supporter, and a proud South African.

 

Please share with us the top five characteristics (in priority order, first to fifth) of the most talented people you have encountered during your career, and your definition of each.

Purpose-led

I think a sense of purpose defines the most talented people. It’s like having the wind behind you instead of in front of you. The question leaders must ask themselves is: How do you create a sense of purpose in a way that’s meaningful for the individual and the team? First, you have to be clear on your sense of purpose. What is it you want to do in life? Think about those defining moments that made you who you are and show you what’s important. How does that translate to your business goals and leading people towards a collective intent?

Continue reading →

WHAT IS TOP TALENT AND HOW IS THAT IDENTIFIED?

Posted on

As a part of our talent acquisition engagements, we ask our clients how they define “top talent” and how they would assess those traits in the interview process. Reflecting on the insightful comments we hear every day, we thought there would be great value in a new blog in which senior executives/thought leaders share their “Take on Talent.”

This is the twenty-forth in a series of blogs/interviews with senior executives who are thought leaders in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Career Development and Leadership who will share their perspectives on this ever present question.

 

Asheesh Mehra, Co-founder and Group CEO, AntWorks

Asheesh Mehra is the co-founder and CEO of AntWorks, a global leader in AI and Robotics. He believes humane, responsible AI is the future, and is excited by its limitless applications to solve for issues that impact business, our lives and the planet we inhabit.

 

 

Please share with us the top five characteristics (in priority order, first to fifth) of the most talented people you have encountered during your career, and your definition of each.

 

Curiosity

For entrepreneurs, curiosity does not kill the cat. It’s one of the main characteristics I have personally drawn from in my decades long career and was a driving force in starting my own company. It’s that desire to keep learning, to look at new and undiscovered ways of doing things and always looking for a better way to solve problems. Continue reading →

WHAT IS TOP TALENT AND HOW IS THAT IDENTIFIED?

Posted on

As a part of our talent acquisition engagements, we ask our clients how they define “top talent” and how they would assess those traits in the interview process. Reflecting on the insightful comments we hear every day, we thought there would be great value in a new blog in which senior executives/thought leaders share their “Take on Talent.”

This is the twenty-third in a series of blogs/interviews with senior executives who are thought leaders in the areas of Talent Acquisition, Career Development and Leadership who will share their perspectives on this ever present question.

 

 

Kevin S. Parikh is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of one of the world’s leading Business Transformation, Technology Strategy and Sourcing Advisory firms, Avasant.

As an attorney by trade, Parikh specializes in negotiating complex global transactions working to bridge the gaps between legal counsel and business team objectives. Over his career, Parikh has been involved in more than 350 IT sourcing and business transactions. These deals have ranged from US$20 million to US$2.5 billion, involving major Tier 1 and Tier 2 service providers.

A renowned author, and industry leader, Parikh regularly speaks at economic development forums, including the World Bank and United Nations SDG forums.

Parikh’s book, Digital Singularity: A Case for Humanity, lays out the opportunities and challenges technology’s omnipresence poses, while providing a framework for approaching innovation and remaining competitive in a digital world.

Before joining Avasant, Parikh led the Global IT Sourcing practice at Gartner Consulting.  Mr. Parikh specialized in IT and business process (BP) outsourcing, contract and service?level negotiations, joint ventures, captive centers, strategic management, business risk evaluation and software licensing. His practice engaged in both nearshore and offshore sourcing solutions.

In 2011, following a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, Parikh founded the Avasant Foundation, focusing on youth training and employment for the digital economy.

Parikh received his Juris Doctorate from American University, Washington College of Law, and his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Davis. Continue reading →