Leading Through Visualization: How an Ecosystem Approach Changed the Talent Conversation
Attracting and retaining talent has become one of the most pressing challenges for businesses in recent years. In West Michigan, one organization recognized this reality and set out to do more than just participate in the conversation—it aimed to lead it. Already a trusted resource in the community, the organization sought to elevate its influence and become the definitive authority for employers and stakeholders navigating talent-related issues.
Introduction
The marketplace was crowded. Numerous business support groups were stepping into the talent space, making differentiation essential. The organization’s mission was clear: Be recognized as the thought leader in talent solutions across West Michigan—driving engagement, memberships, and financial support from business and economic development stakeholders. The ultimate goal? To create meaningful solutions for talent attraction and retention in West Michigan.
The Challenge
The Approach
To stand out, the organization embraced a bold idea: an ecosystem graphic. This would be a visual tool that captures the complexity of talent challenges and the interconnected forces shaping them. Over several months, we guided the organization through a strategic process:
1. Mapping Key Influences
We identified every factor impacting talent—from education and housing to recreation, recruiting sources, and workforce development. What surprised us most? The sheer number of influences and how disconnected they were from one another. Organizations were “swirling” independently, without a clear way to collaborate or see the bigger picture.
2. Designing the Ecosystem Graphic
At the center: the employable person. Surrounding them: pie-shaped segments representing hundreds of organizations and influences. Each organization appeared as a circle—larger circles signifying greater influence, smaller ones indicating presence but less impact. This visual transformed complexity into clarity.
3. Activating Stakeholder Engagement
Through events and collaborative sessions, we invited diverse voices to contribute insights. The result? A graphic that reflected the full scope of challenges and opportunities—and sparked conversations that mattered.
The ecosystem graphic became more than a visual - it was a strategic storytelling tool that positioned the organization as a trusted thought leader. Here’s what it achieved:
The Results
+ Strengthened relationships with employers, economic development leaders, housing authorities, and educational institutions – just to name a few.
+ Influenced strategic conversations around talent attraction and retention.
+ Elevated visibility and credibility in the marketplace.
+ Simplified connections by providing a single-source visual, eliminating the need for organizations to hunt for fragmented data.
This one-page tool served multiple purposes:
+ Captured the intricate relationships affecting talent.
+ Highlighted opportunities for collaboration rather than siloed efforts.
+ Sparked leadership roundtables, SME focus groups, and cross-sector partnerships aimed at driving systemic change.
+ Provided a compelling resource for companies, donors, and stakeholders with the authority to influence policy and practice.
While financial impact was not immediately measurable, the ecosystem graphic was widely regarded as a game-changing resource, reinforcing the organization’s leadership role and fostering collaboration across sectors.