We Just Have to be Better
By Jay Forte – Humanetrics, LLC
I was struck by something I heard columnist Connie Schultz say during an interview on National Public Radio’s program Fresh Air… “It is just time to be better.” Though I am taking the comment a bit out of the context of her interview, her phrase really struck me because for those of us who write and consult with companies, we are always focused on “getting better.” But it was inspiring to hear a general challenge to step up and be better… better at managing our people, better at service for customers, better at inventing solutions, better at living a larger and more dynamic life. We can’t afford to wait another day to be better…it has to be today.
It is truly time to develop a sense of urgency because the world around us is catching up (and passing us) at an alarming rate. Our global business environment is changing and becoming significantly fiercer and more competitive. Many of the newer worldwide players are hungrier for success than we seem to be. They are focused on getting better…we seem to be focused on getting by.
I think we are stuck. We are breathing yesterday’s air; it is stale because of our insistence on using the past to invent the future. Day to day, workplaces are bland; they seem to lack creativity, stimulation and excitement. Employees need an infusion of energy, innovation and purpose. We need recharged workplaces, high energy cultures to bring enthusiasm back to work. This kind of workplace has the ability to attract and retain the best performers.
“It is just time to be better.”And to be better, we start with culture. Culture is the great attracter of talent. Culture grabs the attention of both the casual and serious job searcher. Culture informs others who you are, what you believe, how you treat your employees, how you treat your customers and how you succeed.
Employees know what they want in their workplace and find those companies that offer a culture that shares their vision, explains their directions and encourages performance. Studies show that employees no longer select companies based solely on pay and benefits. Instead, employees from any generation want to make a difference, feel respected, be treated like an asset and own their performance. They want to be part of and create something great…and that greatness is conveyed to the outside world through culture.
Powerful cultures focus on “talent” (not just skill and experience) hiring by placing the right employee in the right job. They know that in this intellectual economy, employees must be placed in roles that match the way they think. This activates a greater degree of employee engagement and interest. These cultures openly hire without bias; they understand that the best employees may not look or act like every other employee…and welcome the diversity, the ideas and the performance that come from talented performers.
Powerful cultures focus on immediate and constant employee inclusion, to win a new employee over in the very first moment, and to keep experienced employees always excited and enthusiastic. This same powerful culture mandates employee idea generation, idea sharing and performance ownership. They do this by making the tools to be great available to all employees. This includes education, training and a constant focus on learning and growing.
Powerful cultures focus on employee development – helping each employee develop in their areas of existing strengths – offering ways for the good employee to become great. These cultures direct employee growth as part of a cohesive succession planning process that keeps the best employees advancing in the right areas and insures that the intellectual brainpower of the company remains in the company.
Wouldn’t you want to work for a company that offers this kind of culture? Would your friends talk about companies that offer this culture to their employees? Culture is the great recruiter. Remember Walt Disney’s wisdom, “Do what you do so well that they come back and bring their friends.” Create such a powerful culture that employees come back (daily - they don’t leave) and they refer you to their friends. Build the culture and the best will come and perform at extraordinary levels. Build the culture and you will have the choice of the best candidates. Employees know what they want, and they want to be part of something great. Culture creates that “something great” and shares it with the rest of the world. We just need to be better…and culture is our starting point.
Humanetrics LLC. All rights reserved 2007.