{"id":15276,"date":"2025-03-18T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/compt.io\/?p=15276"},"modified":"2025-03-17T10:06:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T16:06:28","slug":"how-to-create-a-blueprint-for-talent-development-sharpening-the-saw-with-matthew-thomas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/how-to-create-a-blueprint-for-talent-development-sharpening-the-saw-with-matthew-thomas\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Blueprint for Talent Development: Sharpening the Saw with Matthew Thomas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all of us work in construction. (And it\u2019s a good thing \u2014 you don\u2019t want me to build you a house.) But all of us can relate to a simple concept: You need a sharp saw to cut down a tree. And when it comes to employees working to achieve business goals, the same principle applies. So how can you create a blueprint for talent development? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matthew-thomas-9625595\/\">Matthew Thomas<\/a>, VP of People and Organizational Development at Conger Construction, for an episode of our Compt podcast \u2018Getting Personal.\u2019 Thomas shared with me about his approach to talent development and how to get organizations to make a concrete commitment to developing their people (too heavy on the construction metaphors? I\u2019ll stop).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-pd-leads-to-high-performance.png\" alt=\"Quote from Matthew Thomas: Helping people achieve their goals, putting them in a position where they can be successful [and] utilize what comes most naturally to them\u2026 if we can figure that out, I truly believe organizations will be high-performing organizations. That\u2019s just what I\u2019ve seen, and I love it.\" class=\"wp-image-15278 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-pd-leads-to-high-performance.png\" alt=\"Quote from Matthew Thomas: Helping people achieve their goals, putting them in a position where they can be successful [and] utilize what comes most naturally to them\u2026 if we can figure that out, I truly believe organizations will be high-performing organizations. That\u2019s just what I\u2019ve seen, and I love it.\" class=\"wp-image-15278 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-pd-leads-to-high-performance.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-pd-leads-to-high-performance-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/how-pd-leads-to-high-performance-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, Thomas breaks down his journey from mentee to mentor and shares the blueprint he uses to convince companies that professional development is worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-getting-to-know-people-nbsp\">Getting to know people&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially, Matthew Thomas didn\u2019t plan to go into HR. \u201cWhen I was going through college, I took like one HR class. They talked about policy and procedure. HR didn\u2019t necessarily move me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But at his first full-time job, Thomas had a mentor who was strategically setting him up for success \u2014 helping develop his talent before Thomas knew what talent development even was. And slowly, Thomas began to feel out his strengths: building trust, building relationships, and partnering with organizations or departments to achieve culture change to <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/build-effective-employee-retention-programs-with-examples\/\">improve employee retention<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur safety record wasn\u2019t really where we wanted it to be. I didn\u2019t know anything about safety. [My mentor] entrusted me to take over the whole safety program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas was responsible for learning complex rules and regulations and communicating them to the 150 employees involved in the manufacturing sales and services company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>In the first year, the company improved their OSHA recordables by 66%. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd at the end of the day,\u201d he adds, \u201c<strong>we went almost 1,300 days without an OSHA recordable<\/strong>.\u201d All thanks to Thomas\u2019s mentor believing in him and putting him in a position to make the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along the way, Thomas learned lessons that he would take with him for the rest of his career to help him create a blueprint for talent development. One Friday afternoon, his mentor was walking around the floor of a manufacturing facility making small talk, asking about each person\u2019s children by name. To Thomas, this was an obvious waste of time. There was work to be done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis was a total trap for me. I go up there, this young punk\u2026 I\u2019m like, these people are trying to work, let them go work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas\u2019s mentor put his arm around him and said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/getting-to-know-people.png\" alt=\"Thomas, you have to go and get to know people on a personal level for you to be able to lead them.\u2019 I was schooled, totally schooled. He instilled in me that it starts with the people, understanding what their needs are, putting people in an opportunity\u2026 to do things they never thought they could do\" class=\"wp-image-15279 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/getting-to-know-people.png\" alt=\"Thomas, you have to go and get to know people on a personal level for you to be able to lead them.\u2019 I was schooled, totally schooled. He instilled in me that it starts with the people, understanding what their needs are, putting people in an opportunity\u2026 to do things they never thought they could do\" class=\"wp-image-15279 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/getting-to-know-people.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/getting-to-know-people-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/getting-to-know-people-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas\u2019s mentor was a high-level leader in the organization. He undoubtedly had a million things going on at any given moment. But he still took the time to invest into Thomas early in his career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now Thomas is investing in others as he continues his own talent development work \u2014 Friday afternoon small talk required.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(<em>Pro tip: <\/em>If you\u2019re struggling to squeeze in professional development among your other on-the-job tasks, <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/how-it-works\/professional-development\/\">Compt saves you time<\/a> by providing a single centralized system that automates workflows and budget tracking while giving employees self-service access.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-building-a-leadership-blueprint-alongside-a-talent-development-framework\">Building a leadership blueprint\u00a0alongside a talent development framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-leadership-foundations.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15280 lazyload\" style=\"width:710px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-leadership-foundations.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15280 lazyload\" style=\"width:710px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-leadership-foundations.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-leadership-foundations-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/example-of-leadership-foundations-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many years down the road from that first full-time job, Thomas\u2019s career has now spanned several industries, from manufacturing to healthcare to construction. Has his approach to professional development changed for each one, even as <a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/blog\/our-top-2025-professional-development-trends\/\">professional development trends<\/a> shift? Essentially, no. He&#8217;s taken his lessons to heart in how to create a blueprint for talent development (and for leadership). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to establish a clear strategic foundation first. That hasn\u2019t changed. But the means and the ways of executing on your strategy have definitely changed. Online learning, automation, podcasts\u2026 all of those things are truly great and vehicles to the end goal. But the bottom line is the foundation. [It] doesn\u2019t really change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas puts it this way. When he walks into an organization, they first need to define their why \u2014 what leadership means to that organization. Once they figure out that foundational definition, they can build on it to create a blueprint. After everyone is on the same page, he moves forward finding facilitators or in-house experts to execute on the training.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And one other non-negotiable? Everyone needs to participate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/leadership-participation.png\" alt=\"I had a very high-level leader that we were doing leadership training with, and I wanted him to look at the agenda to see if we were missing anything. At the end he was like, yeah, this is good. But I don\u2019t need to go through this. And then I\u2019m like, well, maybe you should be the first one to sign up.\" class=\"wp-image-15281 lazyload\" style=\"width:735px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/leadership-participation.png\" alt=\"I had a very high-level leader that we were doing leadership training with, and I wanted him to look at the agenda to see if we were missing anything. At the end he was like, yeah, this is good. But I don\u2019t need to go through this. And then I\u2019m like, well, maybe you should be the first one to sign up.\" class=\"wp-image-15281 lazyload\" style=\"width:735px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/leadership-participation.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/leadership-participation-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/leadership-participation-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have high-level leaders in an organization who aren\u2019t interested in going through something they\u2019re sending their own employees through, that sends a <em>clear signal<\/em> about their attitude, their character, and their own leadership skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personal development isn\u2019t something you graduate from. There isn\u2019t a point where you can sit back and relax. This is a journey that should continue throughout the rest of your career, no matter what level of your career you might reach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sharpening-the-saw-of-talent-development\">Sharpening the saw (of talent development)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tips-for-professional-development.png\" alt=\"example blueprint for talent development principles\" class=\"wp-image-15283 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tips-for-professional-development.png\" alt=\"example blueprint for talent development principles\" class=\"wp-image-15283 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tips-for-professional-development.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tips-for-professional-development-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/tips-for-professional-development-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether people are trying to get out of professional development or they\u2019re simply busy with their to-do list (raising my hand on that one), I figured Thomas might hear a common protest: \u201cThis is going to take me away from my work!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He does \u2014 and for those people, he has a response prepared. Their job is to grow and develop their full-time job. That\u2019s part of their job. That\u2019s part of the responsibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the leaders of the organization I worked for once said, \u2018Promotion is optional. Growth is mandatory.\u2019 Put it on your calendar just like a meeting. There\u2019s a saying: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sharpen-the-saw-1.png\" alt=\"Don\u2019t be too busy cutting down the tree to sharpen the saw.\u2019 Because then eventually you\u2019re not cutting down the tree at all. You gotta be able to slow down to speed up. So if I slow down to sharpen the saw, I\u2019ll be able to speed up with my production.\" class=\"wp-image-15284 lazyload\" style=\"width:772px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sharpen-the-saw-1.png\" alt=\"Don\u2019t be too busy cutting down the tree to sharpen the saw.\u2019 Because then eventually you\u2019re not cutting down the tree at all. You gotta be able to slow down to speed up. So if I slow down to sharpen the saw, I\u2019ll be able to speed up with my production.\" class=\"wp-image-15284 lazyload\" style=\"width:772px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sharpen-the-saw-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sharpen-the-saw-1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sharpen-the-saw-1-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But practically, how do<em> <\/em>you deliver training when people have jobs to do? Thomas thinks this is largely situational depending on what the training is. Maybe you have a leadership training course focusing on relationship building. In that case, you may just need to plan ahead to get coverage, knowing that the value of you being off the job learning for those few days is greater than the value of you being there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other cases, professional development training could be done asynchronously. Thomas shares an example from a decade ago that worked well for his organization: \u201cDepending on what the training is, sometimes you have to go to your customer. We created this gamification training program that was online where people, no matter where they were, could just log onto the computer and accomplish a challenge that was sent to them.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By completing challenges, employees earned points that showed up on a public leaderboard. A winner was declared at the end of the 13-week challenge. (<a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/how-it-works\/professional-development\/\">You can use Compt<\/a> for a skill development program like this one.) But the important part was that Thomas helped his company achieve its goals of knowledge transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe got feedback, \u2018While I was killing time with this concrete pour, I was able to jump on, do the challenges, learn what I needed to learn, and then move on to the pour.\u2019 So it all depends on what you\u2019re trying to accomplish and aligning the vehicle to the end goal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/talent-development-success-metrics.png\" alt=\"talent development success metrics\" class=\"wp-image-15285 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/talent-development-success-metrics.png\" alt=\"talent development success metrics\" class=\"wp-image-15285 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/talent-development-success-metrics.png 1024w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/talent-development-success-metrics-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/compt.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/talent-development-success-metrics-768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-break-new-ground-with-compt-s-professional-development-platform\">Break new ground with Compt\u2019s professional development platform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These days, Thomas himself is working on his mental toughness, aiming to be someone who is a calm, strategic leader for others in chaotic circumstances. And for Conger Construction, he\u2019s excited to build relationships and help people make an impact \u2014 in their community and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd what that looks like is building a blueprint. That\u2019s why I wake up in the morning, right? If we can put together that solid foundation for people to build their lives around, and knowing that I was part of creating that blueprint\u2026 that\u2019s a purpose I can feel really, really good about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-182760281353\"\n  style=\"max-width:100%; max-height:100%; width:1000px;height:250px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"182760281353\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLK6N209vYudvcorhAC3jXGhQD%2FPa78p%2B1U%2BJ1cJF2Pxniua6BKTpIsIn2whn3IW717LTwOZgGRl3G%2FNw0fCc2oQp9cTk2hfJUU98wsomf2N1NAcDw2Tg9OeZYW5O7JUeJboCUbwVbE%2B%2B5VK%2FQDQdRvv3sY5ojIAwk7HKIURxXzwBgNxhj6m142m5YjLJhtaP82QntXDHHDhsr67mrEtQDdfAhBKw0aOzOn5KP27r25o1zVRO5jCl3TpLTcUby%2FeV3VA1UGfbO9GeBU5jKXhwpjMvGWsg5l%2BhEhXUJmg3GKD&#038;webInteractiveContentId=182760281353&#038;portalId=3919194\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload\" alt=\"demo-cta\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/3919194\/interactive-182760281353.png\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill\"\n      onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" \/>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Create your own <em>professional development blueprint<\/em> with Compt. Professional Development Pro by Compt streamlines requests, approvals, and budget tracking, creating simple workflows in a single location where employees can grow and develop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/compt.io\/request-a-demo\/?_gl=1*1ue83qh*_gcl_au*MjA1MTI2OTQyMS4xNzMzOTU2MTI5*_ga*MTIwNzk3MzkyNi4xNzMyMzE5MzY0*_ga_7MB9C4BG6Q*MTczNDcyNzQyMC45LjEuMTczNDcyNzg5OS4yMy4wLjA.\">Schedule a demo<\/a> to see how Compt can help you manage professional development requests.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not all of us work in construction. (And it\u2019s a good thing \u2014 you don\u2019t want me to build you a house.) But all of us can relate to a simple concept: You need a sharp saw to cut down a tree. And when it comes to employees working to achieve business goals, the same [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":15277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30,50,76,28,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employee-experience","category-hr-leadership","category-learning-and-development","category-lifestyle-benefits","category-strategic-hr"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Create a Blueprint for Talent Development: Sharpening the Saw with Matthew Thomas<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Uncover strategies on how to create a blueprint for talent development 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