In order to be successful, organizations need to rethink recruitment philosophy and embrace a new talent mindset, at least according to the authors of The War for Talent, a new book published by the Harvard Business School Press.

Written by Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones and Beth Axelrod, executives with one of the country's largest management consulting firms, McKinsey & Company, the ideas presented in The War for Talent make sense. Although most of the research was conducted in 1997 with follow up in 2000, the information still rings true. The mindset that human capital is what makes the company is very pertinent in today's economy, which is slowly recovering from recession and the recent world disasters.

The book's core principles are illustrated by examples and personal stories. It is an easy-to-read volume that outlines how organizations can become more successful by finding and retaining talented employees.

At first, I was a bit disappointed, since the beginning of the book focuses solely on large and mid-size companies. "What about the small guys?" I found myself asking. Isn't this relevant to them, too? Well, it is. And often it's the smaller companies who fully embrace these concepts, mainly because they have no choice--if they don't do something to set themselves apart then they may not be in business tomorrow.

As I read the book, though, I wondered why more companies weren't actively implementing these strategies, as they seemed like basic common sense? Oversight, I'd venture. Too much pressure these days on the bottom line and not enough attention to the people who get you where you need to be.

The five key areas to winning the War for Talent are:

· Embrace a talent mindset. Simply put, a talent mindset is committing to the view that without great talent you won't succeed. This is a mindset that does not just come out of the HR office. It's a commitment that needs to be made at every level of the organization-from the CEO down.

· Craft a winning employee value proposition (EVP). Most companies have a mission statement as well as a value proposition aimed at customers. Why not have the same for employees? Tell your current and prospective employees why they should work for you. And don't forget: an EVP is not about money alone. It reflects the unique opportunities and challenges your company has to offer.

· Rebuild your recruiting strategy. These days candidates are everywhere, but employers are often passive. They're not looking for talent until they have a job requirement to fill. The strategic approach is always be on the lookout for the best people to hire at all levels of the company.

· Weave development into your organization. One of the main reasons employees cite for leaving a job is lack of advancement and professional development opportunities. Development is not just on-the-job training but coaching, mentoring and providing people with opportunities to enhance their skills and talents. Believe it or not, most mid and upper-level employees have not had a performance review in years.

· Differentiate and affirm your people. Another reason people say they leave jobs is because they don't feel valued. Do you acknowledge your people for being a part of a winning team? Review your organization and identify where people fit in the structure. When performance levels are high, reward them accordingly and strive to enhance their abilities. That's the way to build a winning team.

These steps define a logical, successful way to manage talent and remain competitive. If you're looking for a refresher in human relations, this could be the book, especially if you need a quick, bedside read. But I'll be curious to know how many organizations will actually implement the five steps it outlines. So e-mail me your thoughts, and let me know what you've implemented, or whether you already have some of these processes in place.

Cynthia Nelson is a writer and partner in a strategic marketing & lead generation firm. To contact Ms. Nelson, or to sound-off on how you are winning the War for Talent, e-mail cyn_nelson@yahoo.com or call 856-866-5605.