- 30
- AUG
- 2011
Human resources development - 5% problem, 95% solution
Author: Ian George - Categories: Talent
When it comes to business, people tend to make up around 5% of the problems, but 95% of the solution to those problems.
Yet, despite this being evidenced time and time again, people are punished or rewarded for things beyond their control. Those that stand to lose in the 'game' will often withdraw their full commitment and go into survival mode, whereby they get their fulfilment from activities outside of work. Those that stand to gain will play along and play their bosses in order to accumulate as much as possible before they hit a losing streak or get found out.
If 5% of the problem is the people, then 95% has to do with the resources with which people are equipped to do their jobs, the processes and systems that don't work or align with each other and the overall culture and environment that they become part of. Why do managers find it so difficult to deal with people? Probably because they address the wrong issues. If you keep blaming somebody for something both of you know is outside of their control then your credibility will take a nosedive. But, many managers don't know what else to do. Despite all the talk of 'improvement' and 'leadership' relatively few managers have mastered both.
Looking on the bright side, people make up 95% of the solution. Huge potential that remain untapped in people at work. Perhaps our inability to utilise this talent is the reason that the big consultancies make so much money? The best solutions invariably come from within the organisation. Your people know your business intimately - they have been circumventing the way it was designed in order to get the work done for years.
Your people can do great things if you have the courage and vision to build an environment that allows them to flourish, learn and, yes, sometimes fail. This is what great leaders do. I promise you that there is nothing better than watching a team of highly motivated individuals working together and doing great things. Oh yes there is - being the one who made it all happen.
