Amid an upbeat economic outlook, focus naturally shifts to strategies for growth. But are we ready to drive forward? One study found:

Fewer than 60 percent, and, at times fewer than 50 percent of respondents, view the C-suite and executive leadership as effective in four capabilities, including foreseeing future trends, developing a compelling strategy, managing talent, and driving performance and accountability.

And although the tenor of the Towers Watson Strategies for Growth survey of more than 700 companies globally is generally optimistic, the results:

…revealed that talent — finding it and keeping it — is the biggest potential workforce obstacle to achieving growth. Specifically, more than half of the respondents worldwide (51%) cited the loss of talent in key skill areas as a workforce challenge that could hinder growth. Slightly fewer (49%) cited the lack of succession planning as a top challenge, while 38% noted concerns about attracting necessary talent.

Top Five Workforce Challenges

As opportunities for growth materialize, organizations that embrace the talent management practices and technology tools to optimize their workforces will be best positioned to take the lead.