Talent Lessons Learned From Tim Gunn

I was speaking this week at LinkedIn's Talent Connect conference in Nashville and had the opportunity to sneak away and listen to Project Runway producer Tim Gunn talk about talent. I'm glad I made the time to do so.

Here are some of the highlights that I came away with.

Be authentic-Gunn didn't mince any words about his sexuality and how it was a relief, after coming out, to be able to show up for work everyday as himself. This allowed him to focus his energy on doing great work. That got me thinking.

How many people still don't feel comfortable about bringing their whole self to work? The answer is lots. Clearly we have some work to do in terms of creating workplaces where you don't have to leave your personal life at the front door of your office building.

Never make assumptions-Gunn served on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007. While at Parsons, he was often asked to participate in the admissions process, which included portfolio reviews of prospective students. When assessing candidates, his co-workers went right to the portfolio. Gunn refused to follow their lead, as he was more concerned about how well people use opportunities presented to them.

Gunn said, "Technique can be learned. It's about what you have to say that matters. If you have nothing to say, who cares how good your work is?" That's why he focused on the whole person, rather than their portfolio. Businesses seeking talent would be well advised to follow Gunn's lead.

Traits matter more than talent-Gunn advised audience members, who were responsible for pulling in talent for their organizations, to focus on the traits that will yield the outcomes they are seeking. His top picks included curiosity, tenacity and those with a vision.

As an advisor on matters related to talent, I have often found that organizations are more concerned with experience than with traits like Gunn describes, which probably explains why employee turnover rates for many companies is a lot higher than it needs to be. In today's environment, where we're basically at full employment, it may make sense to try something new. Take a few plays out of Tim Gunn's playbook and it won't be long before you too are strutting down the runway with your talented team following you.

© Matuson Consulting, 2017. All Rights Reserved.

#LinkedInLearning

#TalentConnect

Sign up to receive my monthly newsletter, The Talent Maximizer®. 

The second edition of the international bestseller, Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around is out. Be sure to order your copy!

People have been reaching out to me, after viewing my new Lynda/LinkedIn Learning courses on Managing Up and Transitioning from Individual Contributor to Manager, asking me how we might work together. Contact me at Roberta@matusonconsulting.com to set up a complimentary call.

#talentconnect