It is clear that certain pitfalls h

It is clear that certain pitfalls have to be avoided in settling on a definition of talent (Howe
et al., 1998, p. 399). For instance, we must beware of having a restrictive definition as this
could make it impossible to find evidence to characterise talent. But then, some definitions of
talent are so vague that one is forced to ask what the point is of using the term ‘‘talent’’ at all.
Why not use any other human resourcing term, such as ‘‘skills’’ or ‘‘knowledge’’ or
‘‘competencies’’?
In this paper I consider the historical, linguistic and organisational development of the notion
of talent and derive lessons for developing talent in organisations.