Talent intelligence is a custom tool for this age of uncertainty. Its power lies in being driven by data, not in hunches. Mattson & Company/GMiQ’s engagements with clients invariably immerse the firm in their strategic ambitions—often in great detail. “A traditional search engagement, for instance, is more than just a process of finding talent; it involves a comprehensive discussion about an organization’s trajectory, the obstacles it faces, the talent it needs, its competitive advantages, and internal resistance factors,” said Richard Stein, founder and co-head of Mattson And Company/GMiQ, in a recent report. “Search as a term has long been inadequate to capture the full scope of this process. A prime example of this is GMiQ’s talent intelligence capability—a tool designed for an age characterized by uncertainty, where simply being better is no longer enough.”

Talent intelligence represents an evolving discipline focused on tracking the movement of top talent, understanding their motivations, and aligning them with an organization’s strategic objectives, according to the Mattson & Company report. “However, its scope extends far beyond these elements,” it said. “This capability not only identifies gaps in an organization’s human capital but also alerts them to potential risks associated with current employees. It enables companies to contextualize their talent strategies with industry-specific intelligence. The power of talent intelligence lies in its data-driven approach, distinguishing it from mere intuition.”

The most tactical description Mr. Stein can give of talent intelligence is that it is the augmentation of both internal data already owned by a client (though perhaps not yet harvested); and of external data developed with external expertise. “These data are explored with the application of technology to create hard facts about people, skills, jobs, functions, competitors, geographies—effectively any dimension that can be addressed to de-risk strategic decisions and increase their odds of success,” he said. “When we discuss talent intelligence with clients, we refer to it as “forensic insight.” This term captures the investigative nature of analyzing changes in a client’s competitive environment. The data-driven insights from this investigation empower companies to make informed decisions regarding recruitment, retention, and the development of human capital.”

Data-Driven Deliverables

Talent intelligence outputs, if presented as mere data dumps, would lack value. Insight is what transforms data into actionable guidance, according to the Mattson & Company report. “Take talent identification, for example, a core component of any talent-intelligence engagement,” the firm said. “At its most basic, it involves monitoring external labor markets to help clients adjust their human-capital strategies. This deliverable highlights an organization’s competitive advantages in attracting top talent.”

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