TRANSACTIONAL VS. RELATIONAL
Throughout history there have been defining moments when there was a seismic shift within society and things irrevocably changed. Those ‘moments’ may have lasted for weeks, months or even a few years. I think we’ve just lived through one of those moments.
It’s been a painful moment. A long moment. A moment as impactful as the Industrial Revolution. It hasn’t yet been named specifically, although facets of it have. Things such as the ‘Great Resignation’, the ‘Great Reshuffle’ and so on. But these names talk only about symptoms. They don’t really spell out the cause.?
If there is one way to define all this in the context of this latest ‘moment’, I think it would be ‘RELATIONAL REVOLUTION’.?
In our lifetime, and probably the lifetime of the past few generations, there has been a clear-cut business philosophy based on ‘give and take’. ‘Give and take’ sounds great, but when it’s all give on one side and all take on the other it’s not so great. Of course, that’s not how most organizations run. If there was no ‘give’ on both sides, there’d be no organization. Workers give their time, skills and expertise and employers give money in return. It’s Commerce 101.?
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We all knew that x amount of time or service = x amount of money. It’s a clearly defined transaction. But when we start having a difference of opinion about the value of our time, service or input, then we start having an issue. When we feel that we are worth more than we’re getting given in return, we become dissatisfied.
When money alone is not enough of a reward and we start looking for intangibles to go along with the money, then we have an even bigger issue. We’ve long known that rewards of recognition or status can be considered as valuable as money. But what about things such as appreciation, support, encouragement, mentoring and so on? ?
The ‘give and take’ of relationships is becoming a huge factor in what employees look for when they weigh up what they put into a job vs. what they get out.
That ‘moment’ is, in my opinion, defined by the substitution of one-dimensional transactions with multi-dimensional relationships. People have realized that they aren’t ‘just employees’.?Just cogs in a big, endless, impersonal machine. They’re people who are multi-faceted and cannot be satisfied with a soulless ‘swop my life and all that’s in me for a paycheck’. ?Even if it’s a generous one.?This is one of the underlying factors of the ‘Great Resignation’.?This is the seismic shift. The defining moment. The time in history that people are voicing what they’ve felt all along… that they’re worth more.?
#CEO #teamwork #Leadership #HybridWork #RemoteWork #Optevo #WFH #Empathy #FutureOfWork #Business #Technology #GreatResignation #GreatReshuffle
I untangle CEOs from their operations as they grow their team. You have a powerful vision so let’s free up your time and make it happen! Experienced Fractional Operations Manager
2 年Showing sincere appreciation to an employee can strengthen their relationship to the organization. I would take a sincere “thank you” for your contributions to our success over a gold watch any day, Andre.
Proven Catalyst to Shape more Conscious Innovation, Compelling Organizations, a Future with Greater shared Purpose All Can Thrive In per WE-Relevance
2 年Nice Andre. Our best path forward addresses relational needs ignored too long. The challenge is two fold. 1. Managers with decades of bottom line focus will now have to 'earn greater trust and relevance'. Inclusion & diversity are enablers on that path. 2. Employee's that have long given up on mid to large companies because they lacked entrepreneurial cultures, & the 90% of employee's who do not trust HR, can be empowered by logic to champion values. While many are now realizing what my upbringing in the rich diversity of Brooklyn, NY made quite clear to me; that we all matter and attention to all stakeholders earns greater relevance. Relevance precedes success. Managers are risk averse to hope this trend passes rather than succumb to it now, lose control and lessen the greed. We support leaders serious about relational stakeholder investments. Those who fake it and just say the right words - a major trend - will suffer severe relevance & trust damage. Employee's with strong creative, systems thinking and relational value creation skills need to serve on boards and be accessible to all functions. As without a foundation in trust and relevance, sales, marketing, HR, leadership and PR all go into progressive decline.
Fractional Chief of Staff | Strategic Advisor | Empowering CEOs/Founders to Design Human-Centered Organizations and Achieve Personal + Performance Excellence | Open to Fractional Chief of Staff Roles
2 年Love this post Andre Williams - relational revolution indeed! The problem with give and take as it has existed is that it has been manipulative. I give you this and in turn I take that from you. I don’t believe people want to be in relationships where they are “taken” from. And “give” is a really is a poor description. For historically what this has meant is “I have bought you” or the transactional reference you made. Relational for me is I show up ?? by best self. You do the same. There’s empathy for one another when we fall short. But in the showing up each with our ?? we create something that the world needs and in that creation we both profit. And profit not just financially but mentally and our very soul prospers.
Award-Winning Author, The Canary Code | Professor, Organizational Psychology & Business | Speaker | Autism Employment | Neurodiversity | HR | Dignity | ?? Moral Injury | | Disability Employment | Global Diversity |
2 年Fantastic work, Andre Williams! Yes, people want meaningful relationships. They also figured out that transactions were not particularly fair to them. They feel that they deserve better - and a big part of it is intangibles like respect.
Enthusiasm Ignitor??Self-Doubt Eraser?? Confidence,Cognitive Behavior & Life Purpose, Coach & Consultant?? International Keynote Speaker ?? Writer?? With Emphasis in Women's Empowerment, Leadership & Spa??
2 年This is so true Andre Williams. People don't want to just be handed money for a job well done. They want to be appreciate for going above and beyond. They want to have their ideas matters. Get to know your team on a deeper level. You will learn what lights them up. That is the reward you can provide for them when they have gone to the mat for you. They are ready for more. Teach them. Show them you value them more than money.