Thomas Edison once joked that “We will not have better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all that we have today.” In our current organizations, are our team members looking for ways to improve things independently 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 nourishment to extract the best from everyone and for everyone.
How often do the ‘A’ players walk away from us creating new competition and sources of wealth? Maybe these star 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 altogether to “talk out” about his professional experiences and his take on the famous Dilbert cartoons that poke fun at politics and office goings-on. 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 grew 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 billionaire with Spanx.™
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 have probably used one of 3M’s nearly 23,000 patented ideas, such as the Post-It Note that was born from this program. Google implemented a similar “20 percent time” program that reportedly spawned Gmail, Google Earth, and Gmail Labs. Apple’s program today is called Blue Sky, and LinkedIn calls theirs InCubator.
In these economic times where overwork and underpaid backward feelings abound, there are people 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 nourish 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 foster strategic thinking? If your employees feel like they’re stuck in a “same thing, another day” rut with layoffs, unemployment, or furloughs in the background…rework, turnover, and mediocrity take hold. If managers don’t keep an eye on the pulse of the organization and take timely constructive action to maintain or improve sentiment, the next best-kept secret in the market may be a former employee.
Activate the Research and Development (R&D) arm integrated in each organization. Flexibility is key. Likeability 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 on a program… your employees can help drive your company’s growth. Of course, not every employee will take the offer, but the few that do will help change the landscape of the organization by creating a more productive and energizing team environment that is sure to permeate the halls and spark some ideas. Economic growth is necessary throughout the world; Just try to keep the growth within your own fold today!