Why the War for Talent Still Matters — And What Senior Leaders Must Do Now

When McKinsey published The War for Talent—one of the most widely read and discussed leadership books of the early 2000s—they made a point that still rings true today: if you want to win in your market, you must deliberately develop your top people. Two decades later, many organizations still struggle to do this well. Emerging leaders continue to face more complexity, faster change, and higher expectations—yet they’re often managed and developed the same as everyone else. Top talent doesn’t grow by accident. They grow because senior leaders create the right environment for them to thrive.

Below are three enduring lessons from The War for Talent, updated for today’s leadership landscape and core to how we develop leaders through the Emerging Leaders Group.

1. High-potential talent must be treated differently

Your best people are not interchangeable. They need—and deserve—intentional attention.This includes:

• Identifying your rising leaders early

• Naming them as high-potential

• Giving them access to support and opportunities others may not yet be ready for

When top performers feel seen and intentionally developed, they stay and deliver more. When they don’t, they leave.

2. High-potential leaders need coaching—not generic training

McKinsey warned against broad, one-size-fits-all development. That’s even more true today.

Emerging leaders need:

• Personalized coaching

• A leadership framework that blends skills, mindsets, and values

• A space to reflect, challenge assumptions, and grow

• Support navigating ambiguity, influence, and digital change

This is why the Emerging Leaders Peer Group combines peer learning, 1:1 coaching, and measurable leadership growth.

3. Put your best people on the work that matters most

Top talent grows fastest when they’re given strategic, visible work—not routine or “safe” assignments. Today that means assigning emerging leaders to:

• High-priority cross-functional projects

• Innovation and transformation work

• Roles that match their strengths and stretch their thinking

You can’t develop leaders in theoretical environments. They grow when they’re asked to deliver.

Where the War for Talent Meets the Future of Leadership

The core message hasn’t changed: Your top talent drives disproportionate impact—and your ability to develop them determines your future. What has changed is the support they need. Today’s emerging leaders must be more self-aware, more collaborative, more adaptive, and more digitally fluent than ever.

The Emerging Leaders Group was built to meet that need—helping high-potential leaders grow faster, stay longer, and deliver stronger performance for their organizations.