Talent psychology is the study and application of psychology to organizational development and the workplace. From Dr. Jacobsen’s perspective, the vast majority of development programs have a gaping hole in the middle. The missing center is a fundamental understanding of high potential people. Why is this so critical? Simply because those who are misunderstood are the very people for whom talent development programs exist. And when development programs fail, everybody loses. Because a sound understanding of high potentials is a prerequisite for success, talent psychology must be the core of any talent development program.
Mary-Elaine Jacobsen is a Doctor of Psychology, professor, author, speaker, trainer, and executive coach, whose expertise in intellectual giftedness and development of high potential is recognized internationally. She is considered the world’s leading expert on adult giftedness and originator of the new field of talent psychology. Dr. Jacobsen provides assessment, organizational talent identification and development programming, distance consultation, master classes and training programs for leaders in talent development, team-building workshops, strategic planning for fulfillment of high potential, executive coaching, and emotional intelligence training in the USA and abroad. She has worked with a wide range of individuals and organizations in both the public and private sectors. Her clients include organizational development directors, bio-medical innovators, physicians, novelists, business executives, civil service managers, and think-tank scientists.
As a joint effort with Karen Ward, MSc., O.D. in the United Kingdom, their organization—Talent Psychology Consulting, Ltd.—provides cutting-edge strategies to better identify, develop, and retain high-potential leaders in today’s competitive global market. Dr. Jacobsen’s research and years of first-hand experience with top talent along with Ms. Ward’s years of OD expertise and success in global organizations, reinforce their revolutionary approach—one that challenges traditional views of talent development in an effort to prevent millions being spent on programs that simply won’t work for high potentials. TPC provides a multitude of organizational and individual services and solutions. Please see the “Services” tab at the top menu.
In her breakthrough first book, The Gifted Adult, Dr. Jacobsen explains core personality traits high-potential people and career issues that high-potential adults face—essential information for anyone in development if top performance is the goal. She has published numerous articles on the psychology of adult giftedness and high potential, including a feature article for the June, 2008 issue of the MENSA Research Journal titled: Giftedness in the Workplace: Can the Bright Mind Thrive in Today’s Organizations? (see “Publications”). Moral Leadership, Effective Leadership, and Intellectual Giftedness: Problems, Parallels, and Possibilities, is the title of her chapter in a comprehensive new book, Morality, Ethics, and Gifted Minds.
