Your Career Is Not Talent Management’s Responsibility
The path becomes clear the moment you decide to walk it.
For a long time, I sat on the other side of the table.
As an HR practitioner, part of my role was talent management - identifying high-potential employees, creating development pathways, and ensuring they were positioned for progression.
But here’s the truth most employees are never told:
Talent management is not designed for everyone.
In practice, we focused deeply on a small percentage - roughly 20% of employees. These were the individuals flagged as “high potential.” They received the stretch assignments, the visibility, the accelerated development.
The remaining 80%?
They mattered. They were valued. They were essential.
But they were managed differently.
They were the steady performers. The institutional memory. The people who kept the business running. The goal for this group was retention and engagement - not necessarily progression at the same pace or scale.
Not because they weren’t capable. But because the system does not have the capacity to develop everyone equally.
And that is where the disconnect begins.
The Shift: From Managed Careers to Owned Careers
If your growth depends solely on being identified by a system, you are waiting.
Waiting to be seen.
Waiting to be selected.
Waiting to be moved.
A different approach is required.
You need to operate your career as a personal performance system.
Not a job.
Not a sequence of roles.
But a system you actively manage.
What This Looks Like in Practice
You define your direction before the organization does
You invest in skills aligned to that direction
You seek exposure, not just stability
You build visibility intentionally
You measure your own progress - not just your performance review
Your path may not be linear.
It may feel uncertain. Even uncomfortable.
But it is yours.
Walk Your Own Path
Careers are not built through passive participation.
They are built through direction, decision-making, and deliberate investment.
“The road may be winding.
It may not always be clear.But when you choose your direction, you also choose where to focus your energy.
And that changes everything.”
Deidrè Akaloo
