How To Build A Talent Ecosystem
Community meetings can be virtual or in person - just make sure you MEET!
Source: unsplash
Part One: Convening the Conveners
Cincinnati, Birmingham, Youngstown, Canton, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. Those are the six cities I have called home throughout my lifetime. The first three were throughout my childhood while the latter three took me through college to adulthood.
As a kid who moved a lot, belonging was always at the top of my mind: Who will my friends be? Where will I sit at lunch? Are there any playgrounds near my house? Not knowing the answers to these questions made me more independent and outgoing, but it also made recess significantly more stressful.
As I got older the questions shifted, but not that far from where they started: Who will my friends be? Where’s the best place to meet a friend for lunch? Are there playgrounds nearby for my kids to burn off energy?
Moving to a new place can be a thrill a minute and completely daunting. As a person working to attract talent to your community, it is essential to make the process as easy as possible - from helping someone identify a community that suits their needs down to recommending your favorite place to get pierogi’s for lunch.
But you can’t do it alone.
I assure you, dear reader, you. cannot. do. it. alone. I know you’re going to try because you’re an overachieving, smart, beautiful musk ox. But please. For all that is good in the world… ask for help!
Asking for Help to Build your Talent Ecosystem
So we’ve determined you’re not doing this alone. But who do you ask for help? Here’s a trusty little infographic to help you categorize the folks to reach out to:
A well-connected talent ecosystem is made up of conveners, stakeholders, and a support system. This outline is by no means exhaustive, but is a good place to get started as you gather your people.
Exercise: Make your list
When you looked at the infographic above, I’m sure a handful of people popped into your mind as folks that would be perfect to be a part of this group. Write it down. For the exercise below, I’m going to assume that you’re an organization that fits within the “conveners” category.
Here’s an exercise to help you get started with who to invite:
Set a timer for 3 minutes
Write down as many people as possible that come to mind when you think of government organizations within your community. Peek at your LinkedIn connections if you’re coming up empty.
When the timer goes off, take a few minutes to circle the top 3 that you think would be the most excited about participating in a talent attraction ecosystem.
Repeat Steps 1-3 for each category until you have a nice little party forming.
Build Bridges
You’ve made your list! Now comes the fun part - building connection across your community. Here are some tips on how to get started before even setting your first agenda:
Show up!
Existing networking events, community meetings, and industry gatherings are a great place to start intentionally building connections with people face-to-face. And you can show up online while you’re at it– comment on LinkedIn posts, share your ideas, and celebrate community wins within your ecosystem. The more visible and engaged you are, the more trust and connections you’ll build.
Listen up!
Before jumping into what you need – ask what they need. Take time to figure out how you might be able to share your own resources with local leaders. Ask questions, be curious, and find ways to add value to what they’re after. Maybe it’s sharing data or making an intro. Perhaps you could just share their upcoming event on your organization’s social media! These are small steps to building support and connection.
Keep it up!
And keep it casual. Check in with people when you think of them – send a link to an article you think they’d like, grab a coffee, invite someone to an event you don’t feel like going to alone. The key is to keep the conversation going and collaboration will follow. A strong ecosystem is built on regular, organic interactions – and you might end up with a new friend! Who knows.
Take your first step towards building something bigger
You’ve got your list in hand and are officially ready to jump into building your talent ecosystem. Remember that this isn’t about a single meeting or a one-time initiative - it’s about building relationships that compound into an ecosystem built on trust.
Now get out there! Shake some hands and high five some babies! (Or more likely, send a LinkedIn message and meet a new connection for coffee.) I hope this will be the start of some exciting, ongoing conversations that will turn visitors into local, recruits into neighbors, and your city into the community you’ve always envisioned.
Keep your eyes peeled for part two where we’ll cover building community messaging. Good luck! (And let me know how it goes. Seriously. Email me any time: monica@rolecall.pro).
