Unemployment levels are back to their pre-pandemic lows (below 4% nationally), and as any leader charged with building (and keeping!) an amazing team knows, it’s not easy to fill key vacancies. As Rodger Price explains in his latest article for the Grand Rapids Business Journal, the talent war is truly on.

After deftly exploring changing power dynamics and the way that the pandemic impacted employee expectations, Rodger concludes:

[T]alented and committed workers in the marketplace today have much more opportunity than ever before. They are harder to attract and harder to keep. It’s not unlike the recruiting dynamics seen in the world of college athletics. Great collegiate programs have always had to work really hard to attract the best athletes and now, with the transfer portal and more options for turning pro, they have to work really hard just to keep them.

It’s not all gloom and doom for leaders, however. In fact, this is a season in which great leadership will stand out more than ever. West Michigan organizations have an opportunity to distinguish themselves, and to attract talent from across the nation and world.

Winning the Talent War

The pressing question that Rodger explores in the balance of his article is how leaders can set themselves and their organizations apart from those who struggle to attract and retain great talent. As John Maxwell writes, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Here’s Rodger:

Talented people can choose many options for work these days and those who are willing to work for others are attracted to organizations that are clear about their purpose, organizations that treat their people like the incredible strategic advantage they can be, and organizations that find ways to help these talented people grow. Companies that lead better than others in these three areas will always have a sustainable advantage in the competitive marketplace.

If you want to grow more fully into the kind of leader that articulates and maintains a clear vision, and the kind of leader that honors and invests in their team, be sure to get in touch with Rodger and learn more about our LEAD 24/7 program. As an alumni of the program and a beneficiary of the one-on-one coaching it includes, I’m confident that the program will sharpen and reshape your thinking about your key responsibilities as a leader. If you want to build a dream team, start here.