Grow Your People. Grow Your Business
May 23, 2008
You’re probably tired of hearing that people are your business’s greatest resource, right? You’ve heard this statement in speeches, in business books, and the newspaper. Some managers are so tired of hearing these buzz words that they just tune them out.
Well, how about this: People are your only resource? Once you grasp this concept, you will understand that a big part of your job is to create a work environment that fosters employees’ high self esteem and will thus increase productivity. And of course, increased productivity affects your bottom line.
Another concept that may be equally counterintuitive to you is this: You cannot motivate other people. Period. Okay, before you conclude that I’m really off my rocker, let me explain. All people are already motivated. The kicker is that they will do things for their reasons, not yours.
As a leader, your job is to figure out what drives each individual and then tap into that motivation. You can create an environment that draws on their internal motivations. Creating such an environment helps to build employees’ self esteem and encourages employees to continuously learn, grow, and develop new skills. You’ll then need to acknowledge and recognize them appropriately for their contributions. Love them and help them grow, or lose them to your competitor who will.
You are responsible for protecting and/or growing certain assets. Focus a majority of your time and effort in developing your people and creating a motivating work environment for them, and you won’t have to spend as much time worrying about your other assets. Your human capital will build your business – and your bottom line.
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You are so right – you have to develop your people and tap into their motivations. When managers get this, it’s really powerful and leads to pervasive positive results for the organization.
It would be interesting to hear what your response would be when managers say to you, “Yeah, but I invest in developing my staff and then they leave and go work for the competitor anyway.”
Looking forward to hearing more from you soon!
This article was excellently written. I can not say I was surprised because every article I have every read by Jennifer Ledet has made me feel as though she is extremely knowledgeable with regards to personnel management. Her articles are always on target with her subject matter. Jennifer, thanks and keep up your great work!