People problems in companies tend to boil down to one of two things. Wrong people hired, or right people hired, but then not empowered. We need to both (1) hire the right people to bet on, and; (2) place our bet. Doing either of those well isn’t easy. But I see so many businesses ruin […]
People and HR
Employees have the right *and responsibility* to be treated like adults
Employees have the right to be treated like adults. They also have the responsibility to behave accordingly. Today, I saw a post from one of LinkedIn’s beloveds (~4m followers) on the approach for new hires. “I hired you for a job and I trust you to get it done. Just let me know what you […]
Are your people resources or sources?
“Businesses must view people not as resources but as sources. A resource is like a lump of coal; you use it and it’s gone. A source is like the sun—virtually inexhaustible and continually generating energy, light, and warmth.” From Conscious Capitalism by John E. Mackey , Rajendra S. Sisodia, Bill George One of many gems […]
If you don’t give honest feedback, don’t expect improvement
I found this on a school report from when I was 12. It’s wonderfully honest. I’d wager he was really thinking “The kid’s a bit shite, but as he’s large, we can use him as an obstacle in defence.” But he was worried about my feelings, so he softened it up. I wish this was […]
Your lack of engagement isn’t entirely your boss’s fault
Unpopular post alert. We read a lot these days about low employee engagement. Fingers usually point at managers, and often for good reason. But I can’t help but wonder how much of the ennui with jobs is down to people choosing not to engage. Usually not intentionally. Engaging takes effort, and many people simply don’t […]