Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World

Spotting talent is a talent itself, according to this thoughtful guide from economist Cowen (The Complacent Class) and entrepreneur Gross. Most businesses miss out on excellent would-be hires because of their “bureaucratic approach” to searching. To spot candidates with great potential, the authors recommend ditching interview questions that elicit canned answers, and opting instead for “larger picture” questions such as “Which of your beliefs are you least rational about?” There’s advice, as well, for interaction online now that the “talent search has become more global”: in Zoom interviews, leaders should remember that they’re “looking at distorted filters.” (Someone being too loud, for example, may just be unsure “how sound is reproduced in virtual meetings.”) On diversity and inclusion, Cowen and Gross write that minority candidates face extra challenges: women who are perceived as “aggressive,” for example, earn less than men who are (which, to remedy, the authors recommend giving the “non nice girl” extra consideration). Their point that one should get beyond one’s biases to spot talent is well made, and their unconventional suggestions actionable. Managers looking to shake up the interview process will find this worth a look. (May)