Talent Wars, circa 2006

I’m seeing more examples of how the book, A WHOLE NEW MIND, applies to the business world. 

Last week, the Wall Street Journal had an article with the title, “Wanted: Online-Media Expertise.”  Ad agencies have plenty of people with creative right brains. What they lack is people who have digital-media experience—creative techies who understand how to craft banner ads and email promotions, and effectively use search functions.  Says one media and internet analyst, “Digital marketing is like revenge of the nerds; it draws a totally different type of person.”

Another quote from the article: “This is not a demand- or supply-constrained market. It is a human-capital-constrained market.  There is more demand for expertise than there is expertise.”  The article goes on to say that part of the problem is that the online- and traditional-media worlds are so different that there are very few people who can easily “toggle back and forth.” 

In 2000, I experienced the talent wars for engineers in high-tech.  Six years later, companies have strong outsourcing partners and off-shoring programs established in places like India.  Enter a new type of talent war for individuals who have a whole new mind—the creative techie.