Mining Talent: How to Get Beyond the Ordinary to Find the Truly Extraordinary

• How world-class organizations get talent right.
• The power of the jagged resume—and how to interpret it.
• Compromise on experience; don’t compromise on character.

Traditional approaches to hiring decisions are well designed for identifying competent people, but not for revealing the talent that fosters exceptional productivity and lasting success, says George Anders, in this compelling Stanford video. From his research on top-talent organizations—including GE, Goldman Sachs, Pixar and Facebook—he found their efforts to select the best candidate focused more on a person's passion and drive and less on peripheral shortcomings not related to job performance.

Be willing to read the jagged resume, which may have gaps in experience or career stumbles, to discover the hidden attributes that lead to top performance, including resilience from setbacks, self-reliance, a desire to improve, and curiosity. In managers, it may be the ability to influence others without having full control. Listen aggressively, seeking to uncover talent that whispers rather than talent that shouts. Finally, be selfless and insist on the right talent, even if it means some may rise above you.

George Anders is the author of several books, including The Rare Find: Spotting Exceptional Talent Before Anyone Else. A former journalist with The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company, he is a founding member of the Bloomberg View board of editors. He earned his BA in Economics from Stanford University.