Mottershead Changing PD Role (PD Quarterly May 2011)
With the legal industry undergoing so much change, it is not surprising that the management of attorney talent is evolving as a key area of focus. For too long the legal industry has adopted a “hit and miss” rather than a planned, monitored, and integrated approach to identifying, engaging, leveraging, developing, evaluating, compensating and promoting attorney talent. It has cost time, money and careers. Talent management has now finally emerged as a pivotal strategic focus in the more progressive law firms. These firms have “connected the dots” between the pipeline of client work and a pipeline of talent ready, willing and able to service the work and thereby support the firm in achieving its business performance goals. In the attached article, bearing the same title as this Blog, I have discussed the connection between talent strategies, talent strategy metrics, competency-based development models, and the new and emerging role of Chief Talent Officer (CTO). The article highlights the critical importance of the CTO role and how it differs from professional development and human resource roles in law firms. My thanks to Gaye Mara and PD Quarterly (May 2011 at profdev.com) for the kind permission to re-print this article here.