Human Perspective

Are you still micro-managing your employees with task-based job descriptions?   Toss out the point form job duties and banish the words ‘and other duties as required’!

No one tells a grown man or woman the tasks required to get themselves out the door to work or how to take care of their house.  You are either empowered to do these things and move your life forward or you live with the consequences. 

Okay so we have years of training and modelling from our parents but the point is that we are outcome focused in our personal lives – with an eye on the end result – so why do companies write job descriptions which resemble a task list rather than focusing on the outcome they expect from you?

Something changes in a person’s psyche when they are given an objective instead of a task.  Their thought process instinctively becomes long-term and planful.  They break down the components of the project, plan timeline and then draw on their skills and creativity.  Link this objective to the bigger picture of your company’s vision and you help your team develop a clear line of sight between their job and the bigger picture.  The result: motivation and engagement.

Remember you have adults working for you who need to be trusted and treated like adults.  Coach, train, guide, and assist them but give them the accountability to achieve their outcome-based goals and fulfill their responsibilities.  The best way to engage someone is to give them the opportunity to contribute, the ability to learn, accountability for their work and a clearly articulated vision of where you are going as a company.  Only the lost need a trail of crumbs showing them how to get home.  Give your team the roadmap to succeed. You may be surprised with the potential they demonstrate!

At Human Perspective, we help clients change their job descriptions into Accountability Statements.  Let us show you how. 

Found this quote today on someone else's e-newsletter.

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do"

STEVE JOBS

Thanks Steve! And thanks Gair Maxwell and The Seamless Brand.

“Need people to work on Innovation?  Find the troublemaker”

Jason Clarke – Thought Leaders WA _{17 Sept 2010}

This spring as I drive around our neighbourhood in Perth, I have been noticing pretty little flowers on some people’s lawns.  They are so cute – tiny little yellow daisies. 

Over time, I have come to understand that these little flowers are the Australian version of dandelions.  The green leaves at the plant base look similar to dandelion leaves but the flowers are so beautiful and perfect.  How can such a beautiful little daisy be a weed?  Why does my Canadian view of these flowers differ so greatly from the Australian view?

The contrast between a Canadian weed and an Australian weed was not lost on me.  I have taught for years that one company’s poor employee can be another company’s star.  There is a right job out there for every person.  It’s about finding the right fit – person to organization – based on values, traits and culture. 

Jim Collins told us to get the right people on the bus in his book Good to Great.  But the right person for Apple does not make her or him the best person for Microsoft.  Their corporate cultures, values and strategies are different so they are rightly looking for different people.

So is the troublemaker or poor performer in your company really bad or are we not utilizing their strengths in the right way?  Or, is it best to help someone transition from your company to another where they can flourish?

Where one sees weeds, another sees flowers. 

Human Capital will the THE strategic issue faced by all businesses over the next 5-10 years.

What are you doing to prepare your company to get ahead and stay ahead?

The Receptionist said, "My first two weeks were great.  I sat with the previous receptionist and learned my job: the phone system, entering invoices, greeting visitors.  In the second week, she was my backup if I had questions but she was going on vacation.  I thought I would be fine."

"But then a customer called with an urgent issue.  His sales person was away and so was the sales manager.  I didn't know who else could handle the issue.  I was frustrated and the customer was getting more demanding.  I wanted to help him so badly but I didn't know what other people's roles were beyond their job title.  I wish I understood more about the company to get the customer the help he needed. I felt like I was letting the company down."

Nothing frustrates an employee more than wanting to add value in their role but having their knowledge restricted to their own department. 

Introduce new employees to your company's executives and thought leaders during your orientation process to facilitate their access to information and resources. The more opportunity your team has to problem solve for themselves, the fewer problems need to be escalated to managers.

Teaching people about your business gives them the tools to contribute to your success.