Labels are for cans not people

Labels are for cans not people so says actor Anthony Rapp; I reckon we can all relate to that as we look back on our lives where somebody, whether it has been a friend, teacher, employer or even a parent has tried to pigeon hole us in to something they feel we represent.

Of course, as individuals we resist this “labelling” (particularly if we don’t like that label!) as our identity and individualism is highly important to us and so it should be.

A few weeks ago, on LinkedIn I came across an article published by the Harvard Business Review. As usual, it was well written and interesting however the title made me stop and think. It said, “How to retain and engage your B players” and was published under the genre of “motivating people”. It certainly attracted a lot of comments in the thread around how damaging it could be to label employees as “B players” for both parties.

*The article is here should you wish to read it- How to Retain and Engage Your B Players (ampproject.org)

Now, on several levels labelling some of your employees “B players” seems odd probably to most of us.?Who wants to be known as a B player for a start? That aside should a company be even recruiting & retaining what they perceive to be “B players”, let alone labelling them then in that manner?

Seems strange, right?

Of course, I understood what the article was driving at and if you choose to read it then you will see it highlights some really great points and recommends we recognise the importance of appreciating the deep value any individual can contribute to the development of the company. Makes sense to me!

Actions centred around giving people the clear mandate to take responsibility & to reassess their job fit were relevant points but the three actions which really stood out for me were as follows:

* Intentionally support people to be their best

* To consider any bias in appointments in the first place.

* Getting to know your people and appreciate them for the unique individuals they are (This got my interest as the best point of all)

Suddenly, from a slightly negative headline, the article skilfully articulated the need to respect and recognise people for their individual brilliance. ?Wham, there it was!

Surely, this last point is what we are aiming for because any company should strive for each uniquely individual employee to feel they are “A “star employees, being recognised as that and encouraged to perform accordingly????I mean, who wants to come to work and feel bang average?

So how can this be achieved? ??Dr John Mervyn-Smith of the GC Index is quoted as saying

“Human beings have a fundamental drive to feel potent and to make a contribution to their world”.

There it is, in one sentence! No mention of making an “A “type contribution or a “B” type contribution, just about people needing to feel potent and to make a contribution as a whole.

Of course, everyone in an organisation needs to play a part whoever they are and whatever their job title is for the company to perform at its best- the key thing is that everyone feels that their role is an important cog in the machine and within that role they can make a difference. This lies at the very heart of employee engagement- the Holy Grail every progressive company seeks.

So, back to the labels. It’s clear that everyone in an organisation has a part to play and needs to feel they are valued on the back of that contribution-it is what employee engagement is all about- yes, its about being who you are and promoting your individualism but its also about being respected and valued for the impact and contribution you make; or as Oscar Wilde preferred to put it, “be the best version of yourself, everyone else is taken”!

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Mark is a co-founder of the Game Changer Collective, an organisation that helps companies make significant change happen.??The Game Changer Collective | Unlocking, & unleashing people’s potential