How can companies find, attract and cultivate new talent? What are the values and best practices that guide the organizations that are capable of stimulating the growth and well-being of their own people as well as society? What is the right attitude through which each of us, even in the most difficult moments, can find within ourselves the strength to spark a continuous process of improvement both professionally and as humans?
These are the questions we wanted to answer on January 31, during the Sprigiona il tuo Talento (Unleash Your Talent) event, a time for meeting, discussion and sharing. The event was organized in collaboration with Talents in Motion, a social responsibility group born with the precise aim of bringing together Italian companies, universities and institutions with top talent from abroad to contribute to enriching the human capital of our country and turning it into a hub of excellence on a European and global scale.
Moderated by Esther Intile, Head of Employer Branding, and Patrizia Fontana, President and Founder of Talents in Motion, the event featured stories, anecdotes and experiences shared by business leaders, journalists and athletes. From their unique perspectives and through their life experiences we were able to highlight topics we hold dear such as the centrality of the individual, sustainability, innovation and inclusion.
Like in the case of Carlo Albini, our Head of People and Organization Staff & Services and a self-proclaimed “failed engineer.” Only after relooking and connecting some important steps in his career path, which sometimes were perceived as failures, did he realize that he had landed in “the greatest profession in the world,” almost as if by chance. A profession that guides people in the search for their innate talent through the values of well-being, motivation and results. “I found my own motivation in being part of something that supported me: a team. Giving the team a sense of transformation, thinking things through together with them to build something fantastic: not just physical well-being but also that of the organization.”
Talent knows no age: on the contrary, the interaction between different generations creates the ideal conditions to bring added value to companies and businesses. This was the message from Livia Viganò, co-Founder of Factanza, a media company created with the mission to revolutionize the information world, making it easier to use and more appealing to youth through social media. “After talking to so many people, we realized that the most important thing is not just skills, which can be acquired through experience. We think what makes the most difference is an attitude of thinking outside the box, trying to ask the right questions to overturn the status quo a bit and understand what people really need in the present while also looking toward the future. That propensity for innovation, putting yourself in other people’s shoes, shouldn’t be taken for granted. That’s why we’re always looking for people with very different backgrounds, to bring more uniqueness to our company.”
After all, inclusion but also sustainability and innovation represent the values that guide our Group, and they are the themes we revisited during this event. An event dedicated to the experiences of those who, following in the wake of these precepts, do not just hone their own talents but also want to give a boost to the progress of society as a whole.
A mission that cannot disregard the conscientious use of the latest technological innovations, primarily that of artificial intelligence. These are tools destined to profoundly change our society, our daily and working life, and that therefore must be used, according to journalist Barbara Carfagna, to reaffirm once again the centrality of the human factor in the new digital world, ushering in new, beneficial relationships between machines and people. “We must continue to build an ecosystem that welcomes these technologies, but allows us to integrate them with our idea of work. Which is not only related to efficiency, but also to well-being, happiness and sustainability.”
Within this context, it is often the younger generations that bring a new awareness into companies, sometimes challenging what Rachele De Angelis, our colleague in charge of the Italian delegation to the G7 Youth Summit (2021), defines as a generational divide at the root of the deep disillusionment with which too many young people view the future. “For those, like me, who believe in sustainable development and have decided to be part of a company that has fully invested its business model in moving toward the energy transition, including biodiversity and the circular economy, the true challenge is communicating with the younger generations, pushing them to become a little more curious about what companies like Enel are doing, so that they can discover that alternatives exist and they are already being pursued.”
The ability to look towards the future with determination and optimism, facing adversity that seems insurmountable until finding new opportunities for personal growth and transforming collective well-being into projects is the message that clearly emerged from the words of Paralympic athletes Patrizia Saccà and Alessandro Ossola. They are two champions, with both strength and proactivity, who wanted to share their stories with those present to emphasize how every change, no matter how dramatic or sudden, can become an opportunity to discover new potential. “Change is scary, it’s human,” confessed Alessandro Ossola, “but I think it’s something you have to embrace, because all big changes bring challenges and difficulties, but also things that are positive. If this had not happened to me, I wouldn’t be here: we wouldn’t have been able to take about these issues, I would not have been in the Tokyo Paralympics, many things wouldn’t have happened. I think change is something to face, but with a smile.” A message echoed by Patrizia Saccà as well, “When someone says to me ‘But you’re strong,’ I always say, ‘No, I’m not strong, I had the courage, will and determination to try and live my life.’ Each one of us, at our core, has all these things and the union of these things can become strength. But, even those who appear to be strong can hide a weakness. Where did I put my weakness? In recognizing my talent. I spent a few years in a tunnel, and then I reinvented myself.”
In short, talent is not limited to dealing with the present circumstances, but above all, requires imagining the paths of the future. This is our message for young people. What does it take to build a ship? First, you have to desire to set sail. The first thing you need to do to accomplish an impossible feat is to desire to do so until overcoming the seemingly unsurmountable obstacles. Let’s try to desire a better future. Because together we can change things and set sail.