You’re Not a Number, You’re a Freakin’ Powerhouse

Hey LinkedIn peeps, welcome to the matrix - where you’re just a number.

Let’s cut the crap—too many companies treat employees like they’re just another cog in the machine. You know it, I know it, and hell, they probably know it too, but they keep doing it because, well, they can. Workers are measured, tracked, and squeezed for every drop of productivity like they’re lemons in a corporate lemonade stand.

But here’s the kicker: people aren’t numbers. They’re living, breathing powerhouses capable of incredible things—if you give them the chance.        

Gallup polls - again and again - find that only 32% of employees in the U.S. feel engaged at work. That’s right—most people are clocking in, clocking out, and checking out in between. Why? Because they’re treated like interchangeable parts, not as individuals with unique skills, ambitions, and—here’s the shocking part—feelings.

Data that smacks you in the face

• Productivity: companies that empower their employees see a 21% increase in profitability. Why? Because people who feel responsible for their work actually care about it.
• Innovation: according to a study by the Harvard Business Review, organizations that foster a sense of ownership among employees are 2.5 times more likely to be leaders in their industry. Spoiler alert: this doesn’t happen when your people are just numbers on a spreadsheet.
• Retention: SHRM reports that companies with high employee engagement reduce turnover by 43%. Guess what? Engaged employees don’t leave. They stay, they slay, and they innovate.

Flipping the script: from numbers to empowered humans

So how do we flip the script? How do we go from treating people like mindless drones to empowering them as the badass human beings they are?

1. Trust people to be freakin' adults: stop micromanaging every little task. Give people the autonomy to make decisions and solve problems. You hired them for a reason, remember?
2. Make them co-owners, not just employees: Get your employees involved in decision-making processes. Let them help shape the culture, strategy, and future of the company. When they have skin in the game, they’ll go all in. Think of implementing a Culture Governance Committee.
3. Ditch the KPIs for KP-HUMANS: Sure, metrics matter, but they’re not everything. Shift the focus from cold, hard numbers to human-centered outcomes. Are your people growing? Are they happy? Are they creating? If the answer is yes, then you’re on the right track.
4. Pay attention, literally: How about this—actually listen to your employees. Use surveys, town halls, or even just casual chats to find out what they need to thrive. And here’s the radical part—do something about it.

“On ne voit bien qu'avec le c?ur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Translation? You can only see clearly with your heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes.

In other words, stop looking at people through the lens of metrics and start seeing them for what they really are—capable, creative, and essential human beings. You’re not running a factory; you’re leading a team of powerhouses. Act like it.        

Stay rebellious my friends.

Until next time,

Stephan

#HumanRebellion #DisruptTheNorm #EmpowermentRevolution #HumanRebellion