TM - August 2008 - (Page 4)

[from the editor] by Mike Prokopeak D D Digging In to Global Talent Management ig up any square foot of soil east of the Mississippi River and you’re likely to unearth a handful of wriggling earthworms. Given how widespread the little annelids are and the important role they play in agriculture, it’s surprising to realize they weren’t always there. Those slimy little guys actually are invaders from another continent, but they were an integral part of a wave of changes that reshaped the Western Hemisphere. ing. As they spread, they slowly but steadily changed the North American landscape. Forests blanketed with a thick layer of leaf litter were cleared as worms munched through organic matter and aerated the soil. for a global talent management strategy, incorporating features on compensation programs, communication skills and creating a global succession plan. On a separate note, the American Society of Business Publication Editors recently recognized Talent Management magazine with an Azbee Award of Excellence. The Azbees honor the nation’s top business-to-business publications, and with more than 2,300 entries, it’s one of the industry’s most competitive awards. Best-selling author and world-renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith received the award in the Regular Contributed Column category for Full Potential, his monthly column in Talent Management. The editors of Talent Management are excited to share this prestigious journalism award with him and honored to be recognized by our peers for the work we do in the pages of this magazine. Proving it is indeed a global business environment, Goldsmith was in Kuwait when we shared the good news with him, and he was soon on his way to London before heading back stateside. In this global environment, talent managers have a critical role to play in shaping the organizational ecosystem. And with columnists such as Goldsmith on board, it’s our goal to continue to deliver award-winning editorial coverage you can use on a daily basis to shape your organization, in ways big and small. The native trees and shrubs that depended on that leaf litter for sustenance grew scarcer, and the increased water runoff leached away nutrients that formerly stayed put in a rich organic blanket. The reLarge parts of North America, in- sult was a forest that became more cluding the northern forests of New open and dry, an unintended boon England and the Midwest, have no to the European settlers looking to tame the countryside and a shock to the NaIn this global environment, tive Ameritalent managers have a critical cans who role to play in shaping the had adapted organizational ecosystem. to the old ecosystem. While globalization has become one of the most critical business issues during the past dozen years, the earthworm points out it has been going on for centuries, reshaping our world in big and small ways. Some 250 million years ago, geologists believe the world was one single landmass, called Pangaea. In the past few centuries, it seems we’re determined to bring the sundered continents together once more. Our tools may now be T-1 lines instead of tall-masted ships, but the effects are the same. We’re in the midst of an accelerating period of global connection that has repercussions for the organizational ecosystem we occupy. What happens in Brussels resonates in Boston, and decisions made in Tokyo impact Toledo. This month, we dig into the global business environment with a package of stories that deliver advice on tools, techniques and processes native earthworms. Scientists say they likely were wiped out as glaciers scoured the land during the last ice age, some 10,000 to 50,000 years ago. The result of this lack of worms was a forest thick with underbrush and leaf litter. When Europeans arrived in the New World, they brought along a host of animals and plants never before seen in North America. Many of these invaders were brought over intentionally as livestock or cash crops. But others, such as worms, entered a little more stealthily. More than likely, worms hitched a ride across the Atlantic either curled up in the root balls of imported plants or stowed away in the dirt sailors used for ballast and then dumped on American shores as they loaded up for the return trip to Europe. Once on terra ﬁrma, these tiny invaders set about doing the only things they knew: digging and eat- Mike Prokopeak Editorial Director mikep@talentmgt.com August 2008 4 talent management magazine www.talentmgt.com http://www.talentmgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - August 2008

TM - August 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Human Performance Leading Edge Foundations Global Background Screening Does Global Assessment Work? Global Total Renumeration: Creat One Organization Border Insecurity: Immigration Reform and Talent Management The Global Workforce: Communication Across Cultures Around the World in How Many Days? Insight: Exelon: Performance Under Pressure Special Report: Perspectives on Managing People Application: Reinventing Sales Rewards at Motorola Dashboard: Mideast Meets West Dashboard: Mergers and Acquisitions 2008 - Don’t Leave Employees Behind Editorial Resources Advertisers' Index Full Potential

TM - August 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.