Prioritizing People Development
I?believe that every organization that relies on humans to deliver its brand promise should be first and foremost "people developers." Imagine the possibilities if every leader focused more time and effort on building better teams.?
The number one concern voiced by potential clients when I initially interviewed them is about their people. The next is profitability. Growth is a distant third. This is an overwhelming pattern. Most initial meetings with potential clients about how their team "just doesn't get it." Baby Boomer clients will usually complain about the millennials and how they are entitled, lazy, and not loyal. Clients from a younger generation similarly complain about their teams but don't identify the problems as generational flaws. Unless they have a Boomer on their team who is "out of touch."?
Even though every leader I speak to has a self-described "people problem," very few want to invest the time and effort to correct the problem. Even when confronted with the overwhelming fact that over 75 percent of the workforce is disengaged, costing organizations in the U.S. tens of billions of dollars in lost revenue and profits annually, this doesn't motivate leaders to focus on the problem. I like to use the analogy question, "What if 75% of your equipment, lighting, or technology wasn't working? Would you fix it?" The answer is always, "Yes, of course!"?So then why don't leaders want to fix their "people problem?"
The answer to that question is complex and simple, depending on the leader. But if I had to boil it down to a few simple reasons, I would say it is economics, insight, and resources. The truth is that historically businesses have never made people development a priority. Productivity and loyalty were purchased via benefits and job security in previous generations. That model has disassembled decades ago.?Unfortunately, little has been done to replace the essential ingredients for loyalty, especially in the private sector.?
Economics: Very few organizations have a budgeted line-item for "people development" or training. If they do, rarely do they allocate enough capital to create the kind of programs that can have the kind of impact that would improve engagement and productivity.?Investment in people is usually at the bottom of the priority list. I believe this is because it hasn't been a part of traditional business models and seems like a perk or bonus rather than a crucial necessity. Even if the business leader has the will to prioritize people development, they are often at a loss when finding the funds in their budgets to invest in the needed programming.?
Insight: There is no easy fix for this conundrum. The answer lies in understanding that profitability is a function of engaged, productive, and loyal employees. It takes a high level of insight and business will to change the model. Once a leader understands that their business model is broken and backward for this new era, they can only begin the journey towards a new productivity model. One that puts the team first and trains its leaders to be people developers.?
领英推荐
Resources: Back to the conundrum of finding the resources to fund the needed training programs to help your business evolve into a people-centric organization. It comes down to the moment of clarity when a leader decides that no people-development is no longer an option. It can feel like a "chicken or egg" situation. What comes first? People or profits? Trust me- this is no left-wing conspiracy. This is a common-sense approach whose time has come. If you do not build a people-centric organization, you risk becoming irrelevant instead of an employer of choice. As the adage goes, the company with the best people wins. It's time to invest in the truth that the company that prioritizes people will win.?
In the end, people are people. They have the exact basic needs for workplace happiness. It's not a Millennial problem or a Boomer problem. It's not an economic or resource problem, either. It's a leadership problem. The problem is that we don't understand what people need to thrive in the workplace, and we don't know how to implement the needed changes in our organizations to become people-centric. The first step is to recognize the need. The next is the desire to evolve. The third is the will to become an organization that can compete in the new era workplace. Someday we will look back and be amazed that people development was once optional and not essential.
____________________
Sign up for our One Degree newsletter to receive weekly inspirations:?https://mailchi.mp/5c9ea19a3ad1/new-newsletter-notes-from-eds-desk-12144133
One Degree Coaching, LLC, is a leadership and business consultancy specializing in improving their clients' work-life quality. Through organizational planning, team building, role-based assessment, strategic planning, and leadership development, One Degree helps business leaders build sales, profits, and brand loyalty. In addition, one Degree works with business leaders to develop cohesive, high-performing businesses by employing a coaching platform that ensures sustainable results.