Ah, the good ol’ war on talent. It’s been waged for years, and guess what? The battlefield hasn’t changed. If you want to attract and retain top talent, you have to be the place people want to work. That means an employee-centric culture, not just a ping-pong table and free coffee (although, let’s be honest, those help).
The goal? Be a better employer than your competitor so their best people knock at your door.
But what about your leadership team? Attracting and retaining top talent isn’t just about your workforce—it’s about the people leading them. And here’s the million-dollar question:
Are you hiring managers… or leaders?
The Manager vs. Leader Dilemma
Some titles can be misleading. You’ve seen it—Vice President, Director, Supreme Overlord of Spreadsheets. But dig deeper, and they might actually be managers, not leaders.
So what’s the difference?
- Managers = keep the wheels turning. They handle operations, make sure things get done, and hold people accountable. Necessary? 100%. But is that leadership?
- Leaders = see the big picture. They coach, empower, and mentor. They let people own their work, guide them with vision, and **build teams that thrive without micromanagement**.
So, do you have a team of leaders or managers? And better yet—can your managers become leaders? (Spoiler: YES. If you let them.)
The Challenges We Keep Ignoring
Here’s what we do know:
- We’re bad at training our leaders to be executives – According to research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a significant portion of companies, around 82%, do not provide proper management training to their managers,
- Succession planning? What’s that? – A study by Deloitte & PWC found that 86 percent of companies fail at succession planning.
- There’s a massive gap between mid-management and executive leadership – and it’s hurting businesses.
- Still too much top-down decision-making – Leaders need room to fail and innovate, not just execute orders.
- There’s a difference between DOING and THINKING – Great leaders don’t just complete tasks; they come up with new ideas and own the results.
- Size doesn’t matter (no, really, it doesn’t). It’s about how much autonomy you give your people.
- And, of course, the classic: If I train them, they’ll just leave. Yeah… or they’ll stay and drive your company forward—your call.
The Solutions: How to Actually Win the Talent War
So, what’s the game plan? How do we stop losing great people and start building a leadership pipeline that keeps your company strong?
✔ Be the employer of choice—not just for frontline talent but also for future executives. Invest in professional development, mentorship, and autonomy.
✔ Loosen the reins. Let people own ideas from start to finish. Leadership isn’t about telling people what to do; it’s about giving them the space to figure it out and make it happen.
✔ Build a diverse team –not just in backgrounds but in skills and experiences. The best teams complement each other’s strengths and gaps.
✔ Attract people who WANT to grow: the self-motivated, the curious, the ones who seek accountability.
✔ Set high standards but allow learning. Mistakes happen—what matters is how people grow from them.
✔ Create a culture where people feel heard. You’re not the smartest person in the room—they are. Empower them, and watch what happens.
Final Thought:
Winning the talent war isn’t about having the biggest budget or the flashiest perks. It’s about building a culture where people want to stay, grow, and lead.
So, what’s it gonna be? Keep managing… or start leading?
Interested in chatting about how you can recruit and retain your leadership team? Contact me, I would love to chat.
Tracy Arno, CEO
Essence Recruitment
www.essencerecruitment.ca
