Develop and engage all your people for business success

Purpose – This article aims to draw on some key ideas set out in Janice Caplan's book, Strategic Talent Development. In essence, Strategic Talent Development is about achieving business success in today's environment, which is so different from the one on which most management practice is based. Design/methodology/approach – Caplan argues that conventional thinking has pushed too much onto line managers and given them an impossible task. She also debunks popular notions, such as we should invest differentially in high potential, or pivotal staff, or that leaders must win hearts and minds. Findings – She shows how new ways of working are making current line management structures and processes unviable, and she proposes two key solutions. The first is to implement “shared management” structures that spread people management responsibilities so that individuals get the attention they need, when they need it. The second is to establish longer-term approaches to career development that ensure everyone keeps pace with change. This also takes care of high potentials and future leaders. Originality/value – The author shows how the proposed solutions are critical to raising levels of employee engagement and therefore business profitability.