ELE Group, LLC

This robust discussion underscored a powerful truth: talent development leaders can no longer afford to wait for lagging indicators to reveal problems. To stay ahead, we must anticipate needs, align talent metrics with strategy, and act before gaps derail performance.
As Matt Sernaker shared:

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"Shifting from surveys after the fact to shaping daily experiences turned our lowest-rated hotel into the top performer—and gave everyone a role in improvement."
</blockquote>
And Angelica Stilling reinforced with her systemic view:

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"A focused talent scorecard reveals workforce patterns early—speeding time-to-fill, boosting retention, and giving leaders actionable visibility."
</blockquote>
Together, these perspectives highlight a shift in mindset and practice. It’s not just about reporting outcomes—it’s about shaping them. Predictive talent strategies bring business and HR closer together, using early signals to drive accountability, innovation, and measurable results.
When leaders integrate predictive metrics into strategy, they move from reactive firefighting to proactive value creation. And when those metrics are transparent, they don’t just inform decisions—they shape culture, empowering people at every level to own outcomes.


<hr data-start="1423" data-end="1426" />

<h3 data-start="1428" data-end="1450">🔑 5 Key Takeaways</h3>
<ol data-start="1451" data-end="1813">
 	<li data-start="1451" data-end="1519">
Lagging tells you what happened; leading tells you what’s next.
</li>
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Predictive metrics must align with business strategy to gain traction.
</li>
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Sales and DEI examples show how early signals prevent costly gaps.
</li>
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Transparency in data creates ownership and cultural buy-in.
</li>
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Don’t wait for perfect dashboards—directionally correct data drives action.
</li>
</ol>

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<h3 data-start="1820" data-end="1845">✅ 5 Practical Actions</h3>
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Embed predictive metrics into business reviews and strategic planning.
</li>
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Review leading indicators more frequently to allow for course correction.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2001" data-end="2066">
Define measures with executives upfront to secure alignment.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2067" data-end="2132">
Pilot predictive talent metrics in one function, then scale.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2133" data-end="2223">
Share results beyond leadership—use ERGs and employee forums to drive culture change.
</li>
</ol>

<hr data-start="2225" data-end="2228" />
🔮 Predictive talent isn’t just a measurement shift—it’s a mindset shift. By blending culture, data, and foresight, talent development leaders can deliver results that matter most to the business.
📣 How is your organization shifting from lagging to leading indicators? Let’s continue this conversation in the <a href="https://www.ele.llc/idea-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ELE Idea Exchange</a>.

Predictive Talent: Anticipating Needs Before They Hit the Business

talent risk

Analytics

dirk.tussing

suzanne.sherry

performance improvement

talent management

colin.hahn

Talent Strategy

Culture Change

marty.murrillo

Performance Improvement

reskilling

organizational agility

workforce readiness

workforce planning

employee retention

kelly.wojda

matt.sernaker

yolanda.mangram

Strategic HR

HR Analytics

Predictive Analytics

emily.decker-bess

Business Alignment

HR Insights

data driven HR

angelica.janina.stilling

3Q2025

DEI Strategy

talent forecasting

capability gaps

future learning

talent trends

talent analytics

holly.r.pyatt

predictive talent

leading indicators

lagging indicators

talent metrics

HR scorecard

sales enablement

proactive talent development

This live discussion provided a wake-up call for talent development leaders: to influence the C-suite, it’s not enough to show data — you must show why it matters.
We explored how L&amp;D leaders can transform talent insights into true business intelligence by focusing on one essential principle:

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
“Define the decision you’re supporting, then show the data that reduces uncertainty so leaders can act.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/colin-hahn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colin Hahn</a>, FranklinCovey
</blockquote>
Here’s the real challenge — it’s not the communicating that’s hard; it’s knowing what to gather, why it matters, and how it ties to business outcomes.
Instead of reporting training hours, flip the script: ✅ What risk are we reducing? ✅ What opportunity are we unlocking? ✅ How does this help the business win?
Five takeaways to spark your next conversation with executives:
🔹 Frame talent metrics as business outcomes. Speak the C-suite’s language: revenue, risk, cost, speed, and competitive edge. 🔹 Use rising external reporting as leverage. Public companies will soon report talent risks and strengths to shareholders — get ahead by shaping the internal story now. 🔹 Playbook available — leverage ISO 30414. Use global standards to boost credibility and translate talent insights into business terms. 🔹 Focus on outcomes, not activities. Shift from counting programs to showing measurable results executives care about. 🔹 Position talent risks as business risks — and advantages. Show how skill gaps, leadership pipelines, or engagement directly affect strategy and market position.
Practical next moves for talent leaders: ✨ Audit your reporting: are you showing impact or activity? ✨ Build a one-page human capital statement that speaks their language. ✨ Find your executive champions. ✨ Map the skills that future-proof your business. ✨ Socialize early — shape the narrative before the big meeting.
Here’s the unlock: When talent leaders shift from reporting to advising — from showing numbers to reducing uncertainty — they become indispensable partners at the table.

Talent Data = Business Strategy: Speaking the Language of the C-Suite

Strategy

jane.shlaes

talent acquisition

azizeh.constantinescu

leadership development

talent development

eduardo.burgos

employee engagement

HR leadership

HR Strategy

HR leaders

learning analytics

lauren.marder

data storytelling

business strategy

HR Data Analytics

Workforce Transformation

sheryl.smikle

phyllis.king

Executive Influence

adam.walleser

HR business strategy

talent insights

HR talent management

HR data

C-suite communication

human capital reporting

L&amp;D metrics

business outcomes

Session Focus:Shifting the Metrics That Matter: Moving from Lagging to Leading to Deliver Tangible Performance Gains

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<blockquote>
Discover how leading talent teams use data-driven insights not just to react—but to get ahead.
</blockquote>
This robust discussion explores how to leverage advanced analytics to proactively forecast critical talent needs—before they disrupt business continuity. We’ll dive into methods for identifying capability gaps, anticipating talent risks, and predicting learning requirements that align with strategic growth.
But forecasting alone isn’t enough.
Imagine trying to hire top talent while reducing recruitment costs—how do you know if you’re actually making progress?
That’s where HR KPIs come in.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-43789" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AIHR-Leading-vs-Lagging-KPIs.jpg" alt="AIHR Leading vs Lagging KPIs" width="548" height="404" />
Source: AIHR
With the right metrics—like time-to-hire, offer acceptance rate, and recruitment cost per hire—you gain visibility into what’s working, where to pivot, and how to align your talent strategy with business outcomes.
You’ll walk away with frameworks for:

<ul data-start="1130" data-end="1267">
 	<li data-start="1130" data-end="1167">
Building a predictive talent model,
</li>
 	<li data-start="1168" data-end="1220">
Integrating HR scorecards into strategic planning,
</li>
 	<li data-start="1221" data-end="1267">
Using metrics to influence executive buy-in.
</li>
</ul>
This discussion will help you evolve from descriptive reporting to predictive talent intelligence that drives workforce agility and strategic advantage.

</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<hr />

</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
This video discussion will offer HR Talent leaders actionable insights from industry leaders on transforming rigid structures into adaptive networks that empower employees across all levels.
ELE produces this Learning Circle: Reskilling Talent Development.

ELE's <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>: Collaborate online with your peers.

single-event

Your Teams

Learning Circles

Complimentary

Future of Work

Session Focus: War for Critical Talent

Essential Forwarding-thinking Skill: Growth Mindset

Who are the winners and losers in the War for (Critical) Talent?
<ul>
 	<li>With unemployment at all-time highs and job trends require new skills they are not available with the current workforce.
“Almost 1/3 of senior leaders site talent as their most significant managerial challenge”--McKinsey</li>
</ul>
This invite-only collaborative aligns with the research <a href="https://learningexecutive.com/influencer/karen-kocher/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Karen Kocher</a> shared on Oct 17, 2019, <a href="https://learningexecutive.com/2019/10/essential-behaviors-skills-driving-digital-cultural-transformation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Essential Behaviors &amp; Skills Driving for 2019 and Beyond</a>. By participating in this 90-minute, highly interactive virtual learning circle, HR and Talent Development Team Leaders can build essential new skills critical as our workplaces are evolving.

Future of Work Learning Circle: War for Critical Talent

future of work

integrated talent management

christopher.lind

newton.moore

samir.desai

allyson.carter

growth mindset

critical talent

Hilti

Highly successful companies have many things in common, but the foundation of any organization’s sustainable outperformance is its people. The search, acquisition and retention of talent is critical to a company’s success – and what Hilti considers to be one of its key differentiators in the market.



In addition to providing its team members a common purpose, Hilti North America has made a commitment to foster an environment where learning and growing is highly encouraged.



Retention remains at an all-time high and nearly 90% of promotions are made from within – with many of these placing team members in entirely new roles or departments outside their functional expertise.&nbsp;



During this session, learn how Hilti North America has achieved success by rectifying a common talent mistake many companies make – not actively encouraging team members to take the time to formally and informally develop themselves and others.



Avi will focus on tangible, relevant takeaways that can be applied at organizations of all sizes in all industries.



💥Learn how Hilti successfully provides opportunities for development, stimulates the ability to develop and provides a supportive environment for growth to occur



💥Formalizing an approach to development is critical to identifying and growing diverse future leaders from within



💥Programs which provide development opportunities for all team members, regardless of level, are necessary to engage team members long term



💥Empowering team members to pursue their passions - on and off the job - is rewarding for both employee and employer

Talent Mistakes CEOs Can't Afford to Make

engagement &amp; culture

post-format-video

Engagement &amp; Culture

people strategy

avi.kahn

Effective utilization of L&amp;D practices is one of the most effective ways to mitigate talent risk, and enabling talent mobility—and monitoring its success—is one of the best ways to create deep developmental experiences. That’s why high-performance organizations are 2x more likely to prioritize talent mobility and clearly articulate the process.



What we’ll focus our discussion on in this session:



🚀 i4cp’s research shows that talent hoarding is the biggest obstacle to talent mobility programs. How do you ensure your managers aren’t clinging to their best employees?
🚀 Two-thirds of organizations have no formal mechanism to reward managers for developing talent. What could you do differently, starting tomorrow, to make improvements? And if you don’t plan to do this, why not?
🚀 Organizations that excel at talent risk management have formal talent reviews in place to clearly identify specific talent gaps in critical skills. How do you map your workforces’ current capabilities to the skills needed now and in the future, and identify any potential gaps?

&nbsp;

2017 CLO/CTO/CHRO Roundtable: Rethinking Talent Mobility & Managing Talent Risks

Integrated Talent Management

talent mobility

annette.reid

sal.venegas

lisa.doyle

jay.jamrog

jesse.pilachowski1

performance management

talent risk management

i4cp

Talent risk is business risk, yet research by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) reveals that less than half of companies have plans in place to address the risks posed by not having access to the talent they need to deliver on their goals.



Learning &amp; development plays a critical role in managing and mitigating talent risk. And enabling talent mobility – the movement of talent within the organization, and not always upward – is an effective way to both develop and retain top talent.





🚀 Effective utilization of learning and development practices (e.g., leaders as teachers, job rotations/talent movement, job shadowing, and individual development plans)
🚀 Core workforce planning practices (e.g., identifying and segmenting critical/strategic job roles)



While retention and engagement are frequently used metrics to gauge success in managing talent risk, metrics related to productivity (especially helping people in new roles become productive faster) as well as knowledge transfer, are measures that link to more effective talent risk management and organizational market performance.

&nbsp;

Industry Trends for Managing Talent Risks & Talent Mobility

retention

learning and development

business risk

talent risk managemen

Talent Risk is Business Risk: Managing talent risk is an integral part of managing business risk, building resiliency and agility, and positioning for growth. Yet many companies—including high-performance organizations—struggle to identify and deal with risk in their workforces.



In this unpredictable business environment, the ability to hire and retain skilled employees and manage the risks associated with developing critical and top talent plays a key role in overall and sustainable business success. Yet, only 45% of companies with more than 1,000 employees surveyed by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) indicate they have a process in place to address organizational-level talent risk – and of those, nearly one-half don’t know how to measure the real cost of their talent risk.



In this session you will learn:



✅ Key findings and next practices revealed in the latest research
✅ Practical examples of how high-performance organizations are managing talent risk
✅ Implications for L&amp;D with recommendations on how to start mitigating talent risk today

&nbsp;

Talent Risk Management & the Implications for L&D

kevin.martin

This book paves the way to integrated talent management by assembling the collective experience and insight of 19 experts who examine research-based theories and current practices in highly successful enterprises. These contributors (including Marshall Goldsmith, Peter Cappelli, Leslie Joyce, and Edward E. Lawler, among others) provide practical advice about how you can adopt effective, state-of-the-art methods in your own organization.

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