Talent management is a field that requires a healthy dose of leadership on the part of its practitioners, who must be innovators and influencers. And despite the apparent novelty of the concept of "talent management," that's always been true.
What's changed, however, is the way people are led. Gone are the days when leaders could be indeed, were expected to be aloof and unapproachable, handing out orders from on high like some sort of demigod. Because of revolutionary transformations in the business world, though, the traditional relationships between employees and employers have changed.
Leaders today must see their direct reports as partners, not underlings. Successful leaders will work hard to build meaningful relationships with the people who work under them. Ideally, these bonds will be open, honest, respectful and multidirectional.