A recent post on the SCMR blogs by Robert Rudzki on Talent Development provided a great litmus test for determining whether or not your organization has what it takes to achieve the next level, which requires top-notch talent.

Bob provides an 8-point litmus test which includes the following key points:

• Has the company’s strategy and objectives been translated into the required skills and competencies for the supply management organization?
  Talent cannot be developed appropriately if the organization does not even know what skills and competencies its talent needs to have.
• Has a curriculum of development opportunities being created and made available to all personnel?
  It’s going to be hard to get talent interested in development if they are not even aware of the opportunities available to them.
• Has a time budget been established?
  Talent development takes time. Time must be allocated for talent to train and develop, and such training and development must be mandatory, not optional.
• Has a career ladder been established and communicated?
  If the organization wants talent to apply themselves and reach the next level, the talent must see a reason for doing so. If talent does not think they will get a reward for their effort, they will not see a reason for doing it.