How Smart Retailers Leverage Talent for Profitability

September 23, 2009

To keep new MBA talent at Dell engaged, instead of burying fresh talent in an organizational bureaucracy, they are offered the opportunity to try out their “big hairy audacious goals” (BHAG’s) in rotational assignments. This talent development initiative also provides talent resources to new projects that were not resourced at the beginning of the business plan. Rotational “BHAG” assignments also provide promising high potential talent with opportunities to see which part of the organization they would like to apply themselves to first.

Leadership sponsors and reviews each MBA-staffed project, lasting 6-9 months. Eric Paul at Dell indicated they are tracking comparative performance and retention of MBA talent who are initiated into the organization in this way. This talent onboarding initiative:

• Allows Dell to focus resources on important strategic consumer initiatives that are key to “change the business” efforts
• Enables pure problem-solving without Dell bias
• Provides a developmental rotational program to jump start careers of future organizational leaders
• Provides a broad view and understanding of the business before placing new talent in the organization

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