Jesper Raalskov

Talent on the Frontline: Role Stress and Customer Professionalism in the Banking Industry

This chapter provides a detailed examination of the nature and composition of talent in frontline personnel in Danish banks. Based on a detailed analysis of 23 interviews and drawing on role stress theory, the authors show how the characteristics and attributes that denote talent run much deeper than stock descriptions of performance and potential. The chapter suggests that the composition of talent will differ across sectors and demonstrates that the components of talent in frontline banking employees are far from obvious and are unlikely to be described accurately even by experienced leaders. A key implication is that broad-brush descriptions of talent should be treated with caution, and the chapter adds to the limited number of detailed studies of what talent means in specific organizational contexts.