In "Good to Great," now accepted as a classic in the field of corporate leadership, author Jim Collins emphasized having "the ´right people´ in the ´right seats´ on the bus." This concept has received a lot of attention, though not enough employers embraced this approach.
As consultants in workforce issues, we strongly recommend that employers carefully evaluate each employee. You´re looking for suitability and match. Does this person fit well in his/her present position? Is there a better opportunity? Does this employee even belong on the team? Sometimes this kind of evaluation process uncovers a need to give an employee "a creative career redirection opportunity!"
There´s an emerging movement in selection that deserves attention. The concern is to have the right people in the right seats...for the right reasons. The new emphasis is on values---the employer´s values and the applicant´s values. Are they congruent? If the candidate is not joining the company for the right reasons, for both the worker and for the employer, there will not be a good fit. Without a good fit, the employment relationship will not last and will be less than comfortable---and less than fully productive.
The increasing emphasis on values is coming from both employers and employees. Corporate leaders, usually in collaboration with their human resource professionals, are developing values statements or statements of guiding principles. Inspiration to do this work, optimally involving all employees, comes from a desire to avoid the ethical issues facing some well-known companies, from examples and encouragement in a number of current leadership books, and from the work of executive coaches.
Employees are creating their own values positions, sometimes in writing, based on their personal ethics and concern for avoiding the lack of integrity they see around them. Interest in spirituality is growing, though that orientation is not reflected in increased church affiliation and involvement. Therefore, people are developing their own value sets, rather than merely accepting what an organized religious body advocates.
Both employers and workers will be increasingly focused on values---doing the right thing for the right reasons---as we move into the future.
TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE
Do you know how your employees feel about their work, their workplace, their company, or their leadership? Discover how strong you are--and where you might have opportunities for improvement. Learn how our corporate culture assessments can be just the diagnostic tool you need. Call Roger Herman at (336) 282-9370 or e-mail him at roger@hermangroup.com to talk about solutions.
Herman Trend Alerts are written by Joyce Gioia, strategic business futurist, Certified Management Consultant, author, and
professional speaker. "Herman Trend Alert" is a trademark of The Herman Group. Archived editions are posted at http://www.hermangroup.com/archive.html
Copyright 2005 by The Herman Group--reproduction for publication is
encouraged, with the following attribution: From "Herman Trend Alert," by
Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist, copyright 2005.
(800) 227-3566 or www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is published
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