Thomas Edison once quipped that “We will not have better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all that we have at present.” In our organizations today, are our team members looking for ways to make things better independent of management? What is communicated and what is hidden? What does the pulse of the team environment tell you? An organization is an organism of desires, survival and change that requires care and nutrition to extract the best from everyone and for everyone.
How often do ‘A’ players walk away from us creating new competition and sources of wealth? Maybe these stellar performers are being squashed, maybe they’re not being challenged or maybe, just maybe, we’re managing these seemingly uncommitted unlikely leaders to keep our status quo intact. If so, Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric) reminds us… “When they made you a leader they didn’t give you a crown, they gave you the responsibility to bring out the best in others.”
Scott Adams left his career entirely to “talk” about his professional experiences and his take on the famous Dilbert cartoons that poke fun at office politics and happenings. It is said that Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination, but he formed the Disney conglomerate. Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank were fired from a home improvement company only to form Home Depot and become billionaires in the process. Sara Blakely got tired of selling fax machines door to door, so on a shoestring budget she created a company that has made her the world’s youngest self-made Spanx woman billionaire.™
Intellectual capital is king in the 21st century. It is an intangible asset that can generate cash flow and wealth from an ethereal idea. Companies are taking note of adopting tried-and-true strategies in a variety of ways that empower employees. In 1948, for example, 3M implemented the 15 percent program, which gave willing employees the opportunity to pursue ideas on their own without interfering with their regularly assigned work; As a result of this management paradigm, today you probably used one of 3M’s nearly 23,000 proprietary ideas, such as the Post-It Note that was born out of this program. Google implemented a similar “20 percent time” program that reportedly gave birth to Gmail, Google Earth, and Gmail Labs. Apple’s program today is called Blue Sky, and LinkedIn calls its InCubator.
In these economic times where overwork and underpaid late feelings abound, there are people out there looking for greener pastures. The investment the company has made in people, both in recruiting and training dollars, may soon be a lost asset. But greener pastures can be found if you “bring your own bucket of water” into the mix to nurture and replenish the team’s psyche. Take a break. Involve your employees. Listen with intent. Give them the brakes they deserve, the chance to spread their wings, and the ability to take charge.
Are your employees motivated to make your company, their company, taking it to the next level? Are there people willing to go the extra mile because they believe in the company’s mission and vision? Does management enable disruptive innovation and encourage strategic thinking? If your employees feel like they’re stuck in a “same thing, another day” rut with layoffs, unemployment, or furloughs…rework, turnover, and mediocrity take hold. If managers don’t check the pulse of the organization and take timely constructive steps to maintain or improve sentiment, the next best-kept secret on the market may be a former employee.
Activate the Research and Development (R&D) arm integrated into each organization. Flexibility is key. Likability is a desired attribute. Understanding is paramount. Whether you spend 15 minutes a week with your employees exploring possibilities or have the luxury of implementing a 20% variance from a program…your employees can help drive growth for your business. Of course, not all employees will take you up on the offer, but the few that do will help change the environment of the organization by creating a more productive and energizing team environment that is sure to fill the halls and spark some ideas. Economic growth is needed all over the world; Just try to keep the growth within your own fold today!