The Career Suite

S1 E4
7 Gifts of Talent!
Ready to drive your future forward?
Then you're in the right place!
Let's step inside “The Career Suite”, where Career conversations begin with you!

Thank you for joining me inside The Suite. Today we'll unwrap 7 gifts of talent.

By recognizing specific types of talent, it will improve your interpersonal connections, grow your leadership team, and enhance your business partnerships. For the parents or guardians in the Suite today, it will refresh your memory on just how important it is to inspire & nurture the talent found in young adults since they have a hand in shaping society’s future.

I'll begin by listing all 7 gifts of talent, then we'll go back and unwrap each one.
First on the list is Adaptability, then Diligence, Expertise, Leadership, Positive approach and number seven is Successful communication.

Let's unwrap number one, Adaptability. In action this person is open to change, embraces new technologies and ideas which collectively build the foundation for growth. When you've found someone with this talent, you have someone who understand trends and process improvements that will polish your business strategies. When you’re open to adaptability, you’ve found an individual that can significantly impact your organization's future success. This person might suggest ways that AI can improve your communication strategy.

Gift number two is Diligence. This talent displays a willingness to go above and beyond. Here you've found someone who takes pride in their work, demonstrates a desire to answer the call, and produces quality outcomes. With diligence you see both a level of care and an attention to detail. This person might catch some of their mistakes and prefer time to conduct research before joining a meeting. It’s a step after a hard worker.

Third is Expertise. A talent found in every field, a person with a deep understanding and mastery of their work. They have acquired the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience to demonstrate and share their expertise in modern-day terms. We all know that one size rarely fits all. Someone gifted in this area does a great job of matching their knowledge (expertise) with your needs in a way relevant for today and tomorrow, not yesterday.

Let's look at a quick example. Have you ever needed a babysitter? With approximately 4 million children living with food allergies, wouldn't it be advantageous to screen for a babysitter who was both First Aid & CPR certified, as well as someone who successfully completed Anaphylaxis Training? If you're a babysitter with this level of expertise, you can charge more for your services.

Number four is Leadership. Most people can spot a person's ability to inspire others. They help to build confidence, use empathy, and motivate others to contribute to the success of a project, business unit, or organization. The bow on top here is someone who understands how to lead and when to follow. That’s a special gift.

Number five is Positive approach. You can hear their positivity in challenging situations. They approach with enthusiasm, display optimism, and maintain a solution-focused mindset. This gift is anchored in possibilities. If you asked them to create a sign for your reception area, it would say “Smoke Free” instead of “No Smoking”.

Six is Problem solving. We all benefit from this gift when we find it. People who can anticipate needs, asks valuable questions, and navigate potholes; that’s like having a personalized GPS system. People with this talent displays critical thinking skills, creativity, and resourcefulness which allows them to find plausible solutions to complex issues. This isn't selling you on their 5-step process it’s a talented person who seeks to learn the root cause of a problem and then apply what they learned based on their assessment of your needs.

We round out our gifts with number seven, Successful communication. We all recognize it when it happens; this talented individual will convey information clearly and concisely, actively listens to others, recalibrates their ego, and effectively collaborates with colleagues, clients, patients, and stakeholders. The could be the greeter, the networker, and the closer. This gifted individual thinks before they speak and doesn't speak merely to hear the sound of their voice.

Hopefully, you have new insight of what the 7 gifts of talent look like in action. The goal is to recognize them during a conversation, at a meeting or at an event. Which brings me to our question for the day.
How do you improve your interpersonal connections, grow your leadership team, and enhance your business partnerships? By surrounding yourself with all 7 gifts.

Successful Talent acquisition is invaluable in business which often leads to exponential growth as a person and for your organization.

Let’s look at a real-life example.
I worked with a non-profit, and they were gearing up for their signature fundraising event. I sat with their Campaign Manager, and we’ll call her Jane. Jane had contracted with a vendor, specifically a photographer. I asked Jane if she had generated a list of high-profile guests, major donors, social media influencers, Board members, and up & coming employees that the photographer should look for during the event, as well as key moments during the event to ensure someone took those pictures. I mentioned reviewing the list of names and paying attention to various ages, a blend of singles, couples, and group shots and sharing a “Run of Show” with the photographer to help with time management. Jane looked at me like a deer in headlights. That was my cue. It was time to help Jane connect the dots and walk through the importance of “introducing” the photographer to a preferred list. Photo ops that described our expectations, the pace of the event, and would build future content for marketing campaigns. We discussed that the photographer wasn’t hired solely to record the event. Consider them a partner in capturing moments that would help create a buzz around the event, spark interest, and tell a story that made people feel as though they had missed out on an amazing experience that raised money for a worthy cause. With this organization they needed more people to ask how can I be a part of something bigger, when I can attend the next event. Once you’re at the event, you’re working because they are so many moving parts, you need the photographer be an engaged partner. The photographer has the expertise. As a leader you’re drawing out their attention to detail and helping to plan for organization’s tomorrow. In this situation, Jane didn’t understand the concepts, didn’t like how the dots were connected, and wasn’t able to recalibrate her ego. The photographer missed the big reveal when the grand prize winner’s name was drawn. The “money shot” was gone. We missed the reactions, the big hugs, and the surprise in the winner’s face; there were all missed. Jane never reviewed the list with the photographer. She made a partial list, left it at home and relied on her memory during the event. Jane resigned approximately two weeks after the event. As well liked as Jane was and rightfully so, very friendly and a likable person, her replacement had a better mix of these 7 gifts which served the organization much better in achieving its fundraising goals.

Talent, not titles make the difference!

The next time you have a conversation, attend a meeting or an event; look for these 7 gifts of talent in other people. You never know what type of business partnership you might unwrap. Ask questions that allow the person to describe their gift, listen for their talents in action, not their titles. Invite those gifted with different talents than yours to join you at an event, grab coffee, to listen to a sax player, or join the same Chamber of Commerce you belong to. As a business owner, if you watch and listen for the cues mentioned today, you are more likely to create a talent pipeline for your organization and grow your leadership team. If you aren’t a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, join then attend an event with a new approach, listen for the cues from the people that have one or more of the gifts that might be missing from your team. Build a relationship. Now that's Growth!

I'm Helen G. Sneed; join me again in the Career Suite, where I promise to save you a seat!
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