I began my career as an executive recruiter in 1998. To put that into perspective, that was four years after the mass commercialization of the internet, in the middle of the biggest information technology boom in history, three years before the technology bubble burst, and ten years before the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. I have been both a witness and participant in the greatest revolution in talent management.
I wanted to write a book designed to inspire and help individuals, companies, and other human-capital advisors understand their place in this new human-capital economy. Every day I see how rapidly the leadership landscape is changing. Between my first time leaving voicemail for a prospective candidate, to my twenty-four-year-old business partner’s recent proclamation that nobody listens to voicemails anymore, I have seen a massive shift in how companies and individuals pursue each other. But not all the changes have been for the better as progress is fraught with intermittent regression and unintended negative consequences. In my estimation, we have moved three steps forward and one step back. It’s been a wild ride and I’ve tried to observe both from within and from above.
The first part of the book provides a unique historical context for the last twenty years, focusing on the transformation of human capital and talent during that time. Between the technology boom and what I describe as the era of "post-boom malaise," an undercurrent took hold as our world faced a potential catastrophe. It is within this context that I detail how the most turbulent economic era since the Great Depression, the 2008 "Great Recession", significantly impacted the global human capital sector. All of these events ultimately shaped the emerging generation of "human capitalists" by completely altering the way leaders recruit, manage, and develop talent.
The second part of the book explores the "macro" implications of the last twenty years, specifically the impact of technology and social media, cultural and generational shifts, political and economic changes, and how all of these factors have impacted the global economy from the perspective of human capital.
The third part of the book explores the "micro" implications related to: the evolving dynamics of the "Talent Triad" (candidate, company, and recruiter); how candidates have become more introspective, self-aware, and even self-promotional; how companies have recognized the importance of building and developing diverse, collaborative, and complimentary teams; and how the traditional concept of "relevant experience" has changed over the past few decades.
The fourth and final part of the book focuses on how all talent managers need to employ more progressive techniques related to talent acquisition, talent management, succession planning, and coaching. Similarly how individuals must also examine these same techniques as they become the architects of their own careers.
If there is one goal for this book, it is to educate, prepare, and inspire all future leaders as they face an uncertain and exciting future.