Chapter 1: Challenges in Preparing Principals as Talent Developers: Lessons From Nigeria

Talent development is increasingly receiving attention from private and public organizations at national and international levels. Gallardo-Gallardo et al. (2020) concur that the attraction, development, and retention of talent have emerged as one of the most critical issues faced by organizations globally. Ulrich and Smallwood (2012) define talent as knowledge, skills, and values required for today’s and tomorrow’s job. In this chapter, we attempt to define talent as having innate potentials for excellence. Plato (427–347 BC) in his popular book The Republic affirms that people were not born identical but different with respect to their natural talents. The school environment is the core fertile ground for harnessing and developing the different talents that students are endowed with; hence diversity of talents and individual differences in human beings have become imperative matters in the educational sector (Fahimeh & Abdolrahim, 2011; Mehdizadeh & Sharafi, 2006). Thus, imposing a dire responsibility on educational leaders to hunt for talents, develop and cause them to be flourished and showcased. Schaap et al. (2012) stated that students need to develop competencies by building meaningful relations between knowledge, skills, and attitudes. But then, students cannot do this on their own without proper guidance and direction from school leaders.