Ep 737: Building A Team Of Talent Partners

To survive as a function, it's clear that TA teams need to become strategic partners to their businesses rather than service providers. But what does that really mean in practice? It's easy to talk about being strategic, but the execution is where most teams struggle.

The challenge isn't just about new processes or technologies. It's about fundamentally different ways of communicating with hiring managers and stakeholders. It's about asking better questions, listening more effectively, and knowing when to challenge decisions without creating unnecessary friction. So, how do you build a TA Team of Talent Partners?

My guest this week is Jeff Soto, Vice President Talent Acquisition (Americas) at Sony Music Entertainment. In our conversation, Jeff reveals the specific techniques his teams use to partner with the business and why communication skills matter more than ever in our age of technology-driven disruption.

In the interview, we discuss:

• The essential skills required in TA right now.

• Talent Advisory versus Talent Partner

• Adopting a coaching mindset

• Active listening, clarity, and summarizing 

• Persuading with data, analytics, and insights

• Challenging hiring managers in non-adversarial ways

• What will the TA team of the future look like?

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