Thomas Edison once joked that “We will not have better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all that we have in the present.” In our organizations these days, are our team members looking for ways to improve things regardless of management? What is communicated and what is withheld? 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 star artists are being crushed, maybe they are not being challenged, or maybe, just maybe, we are managing these seemingly unengaged and 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 to “talk” about his professional experiences and insights into the famous Dilbert cartoons that poke fun at office politics and events. Walt Disney is said to have been 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 grew tired of selling door-to-door fax machines, so on a tight budget she started a company that has made her the youngest self-made Spanx ™ billionaire in the world.
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 notice of adopting tried and true strategies in various ways that empower employees. In 1948, for example, 3M implemented the 15 percent program, which gave willing employees the opportunity to brainstorm ideas on their own without interfering with their regularly assigned work; As a result of this management paradigm, you have probably used one of 3M’s nearly 23,000 proprietary ideas today, such as the Post-It note that emerged from this program. Google implemented a similar “20 percent of the time” program that reportedly spawned Gmail, Google Earth, and Gmail Labs. Apple’s program today is called Blue Sky and LinkedIn calls it InCubator.
In these economic times where work and poorly paid backward feelings abound, there are people looking for greener pastures. The investment the company has made in people, both in recruitment and training dollars, may soon become a lost asset. But greener grasses 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. Get your employees involved. Listen with intention. Give them the praise they deserve, the opportunity to spread their wings, and the ability to take charge.
Are your employees motivated to do your business, their company, moving it to the next level? Are there people who are willing to go the “extra mile” because they believe in the mission and vision of the company? Does management enable disruptive innovation and encourage strategic thinking? If your employees feel like they’re stuck in the “same thing, another day” routine with layoffs, unemployment, or leave in the background … rework, turnover, and mediocrity take over. If managers don’t monitor the pulse of the organization and take timely constructive steps to maintain or improve sentiments, the next best-kept secret on the market may be a former employee.
Activate the Research and Development (R&D) arm integrated in each organization. Flexibility is key. Sympathy 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% variation of a schedule … your employees can help drive growth for your business. Of course, not all employees will accept the offer, but the few who do will help change the environment of the organization by creating a more productive and energizing team environment that is sure to spread through the halls and generate some ideas. Economic growth is needed around the world; Try to keep growing within your own fold today!
