Talent--Encouraging, Liberating, Mining, Developing, Managing, Guiding, Leading

"Chief of Staff, Talent and Human Capital Services"--"Talent," a new buzz-word for Human Resources?  Human Capital--the human assets of an organization.  In much of the world today the public is entranced by the concept of talent.  "The American Idol," "Dancing with the Stars," and many other programs around the world emphasize the discovery and promotion of talent. 

A few years ago we had such titles as "Chief Knowledge Officer" and "Chief Learning Officer" as senior executive positions in larger organizations.  Today, the Chief of Staff, Talent and Human Capital Services position commands a $100K+ salary (source: HRLadders.com).  Candidates for this position, must have prior experience in at least one of the following human resources related areas: Recruiting and talent acquisition; Staffing and talent management; Career guidance and counseling; or other human resources related experience.

What does this new terminology actually mean in terms of developing the people who either work for an organization or who are being considered for employment by an organization?  What talent is important in a job and how can it be "tapped," "released," "acquired," "managed," "taught," "developed?"

Does the "new" terminology reflect a significant change in the way people are valued by the organization?  In this age of layoffs and challenging economic conditions, there seems to be a disconnect between the vocabulary of these positions and the actual experience of the people employed (or seeking employment) in the companies who have officials with these titles.

What is your experience?