MCGUINNESS INSTITUTE MEDIA RELEASE – 10 JUNE 2014 EMBARGO UNTIL 5.30PM WEDNESDAY, 11 JUNE 2014
TalentNZ Launch – Menu of Initiatives: Creating a place where talent wants to live
The McGuinness Institute launched its latest publication and website, TalentNZ Menu of Initiatives: Creating a place where talent wants to live. Held at the NZX in Wellington, the launch included presentations by entrepreneur Sam Morgan and contributors to the 2013 TalentNZ Journal.
Wendy McGuinness, Chief Executive, said: “Our Menu of Initiatives illustrates New Zealand’s talent ecosystem and showcases a broad range of possible initiatives that communities might implement today to fulfil Sir Paul Callaghan’s vision for a flourishing talent-based economy.”
Sir Paul Callaghan, Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year in 2011, was the keynote speaker at the McGuinness Institute’s first major workshop in 2011 – StrategyNZ – where he explained why New Zealand must focus on creating a place where talent wants to live.
Sam Morgan, who also spoke at StrategyNZ, said: “Sir Paul Callaghan knew that building value based on ‘weird stuff’ is a bit messy and that success favours the brave. He knew about the importance of connectivity, and of creating some momentum by getting us thinking about talent rather than ‘brain drains’ or GDP per capita. He knew that it is only by being valuable to others that we increase our own prospects.”
As a result the Institute has undertaken a project called TalentNZ. “We decided to ask 30 talented Kiwis how you might go about creating a talent-based economy. These interviews can be found online or in the 2013 TalentNZ Journal. Four integrated work-streams emerged from these interviews, we need to: grow talent, attract talent, retain talent and connect talent” says McGuinness. This led to the TalentNZ Ecosystem illustration (right), file attached.
McGuinness says: “The TalentNZ Ecosystem was designed to demonstrate how these four integrated work-streams interact, as understanding how this interaction works is the first step to identifying the levers that will enable each community to consider, design, implement and measure strategies in a way that allows progress to be reviewed over time.”
The Menu of Initiatives launch unveiled a collection of 28 initiatives (seven for each work-stream) showcasing a range of New Zealand and international examples of how these initiatives might be implemented, along with an interactive website.
McGuinness said: “Countries and communities that do not actively pursue the creation of a dynamic talent-based economy are more likely to fail in the long term. Talent attracts talent, dynamic talent ecosystems will create a gravitational pull and we want that pull to be in New Zealand’s direction. This will require hard work and a mind-set where communities build on their unique strengths and weaknesses.”
She adds: “The Menu is designed to invite discussion and reflection over ways forward, much in the same way one is provided a menu in a restaurant – no one expects all of the items on the menu to be eaten in one sitting. The McGuinness Institute will maintain the website for 12 months to allow more ideas to be gathered and shared. By the end of June 2015 we expect the website will provide even more clarity over how communities might develop creative solutions to strengthen their gravitational pull and deliver better outcomes to their citizens.”
[ENDS]
About the McGuinness Institute:
The McGuinness Institute is a non-partisan think tank working towards a sustainable future, contributing strategic foresight through evidence-based research and policy analysis. We endeavour to undertake research that is independent, innovative and relevant in an educational, professional and ethical manner.
TalentNZ Menu of Initiatives Launch Location:
NZX, NZX Centre, 11 Cable Street, Wellington Time: 5.30-7.30pm EMBARGOED UNTIL 5.30PM 11 JUNE 2014.