Day: August 25, 2022

Innovation. That’s the name of the game today. If you can’t come up with new ideas and new ways of doing things, you’re drifting to the edge of the waterfall. Sooner or later you’re going to get sucked into the unstoppable current that will pull you over the edge. And it’s pretty difficult recovering from that, as a company or as an individual person.

“Ah!” you say, somewhat relieved, “that doesn’t apply to me. I lead people, so it’s business as usual for me.”

Really?

Think again.

“The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.” So said L P Hartley in his 1953 novel The Go Between. You simply cannot afford to live in a foreign country – in the past, where things were done differently from the way they’re done now. You’ve got to live in the present, which is not as long as it used to be!

And the only way to live and work in the present and stay relevant as you move into the future is to embrace new thinking, new ideas and new ways of doing things. Not simply for the sake of newness, but because most new ideas and new ways are smarter, more effective, faster and better than the older ones. That’s because they benefit from new thinking, new perspectives, new learning, the support of new technology or some other innovation.

It’s therefore important for you to set yourself free to embrace newness – and to beware of the serial killers that lurk all around you – the ones that kill every new idea that either you or your team comes up with.

Yes, when it comes to new ideas, companies are teaming with serial killers – people who delight in killing new ideas as soon as they emerge. These serial killers do not want to embrace new ideas because they have no new ideas of their own and feel threatened by the new ideas of others. They also lack the vision to see the potential of new ideas. Or they simply want to preserve the status quo that happens to suit them. So they either try to ensure that new ideas are still-born before they can grow strong enough to stand on their own, or they wait for their opportunity to kill them off as soon as they get a chance.

Don’t expect these serial killers to be walking around with caps on their heads that say, “Serial killer” on their peaks. They will go to great measures to keep their intentions and identities hidden, but their intentions will still be the same – to kill off all new ideas that colleagues come up with to improve the business.

The danger of these serial killers is that they will never stop – until they are recognised for what they are and dealt with accordingly.

It’s therefore important to identify and stop the serial killers of the new ideas your company so desperately needs to embrace because, left to continue their dark deeds, these serial killers have the potential to kill off the company, causing it to become irrelevant and ineffective as time passes. Then just before the company ship goes over the waterfall, they jump ship and move off to another company to continue their murderous ways.

So encourage, nurture and protect the new ideas in your company, your division or your department. Be on the lookout for the serial killers who stealthily try to kill off any of these new ideas, particularly when those ideas are still vulnerable. Take firm action to ensure all new ideas have the freedom to be born, to grow and to mature into winning strategies that will take you and your company into a better, more successful and more fulfilled future.

Alan Hosking is the Publisher of HR Future magazine, www.hrfuture.net and @HRFuturemag. He is an internationally recognised authority on leadership competencies for the future and teaches experienced and younger business leaders how to lead with empathy, compassion, integrity, purpose and agility. In 2018, he was named by US-based web site Disruptordaily.com as one of the “Top 25 Future of Work Influencers to Follow on Twitter“. In 2020, he was named one of the “Top 200 Global Power Thought Leaders to watch in 2021” by peopleHum in India. In 2022, he has been named on the Power List of the “Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2022” by LeaderHum.

What’s the hype over “quiet quitting” really is about?

During my college years, I worked at a Sears store—from stockroom to cash register, housewares to clothing to appliances.

Wearing my work shirt with Sears embroidered over the pocket, I was glad to have the job. But, in my 20-year-old’s mindset, if I was being honest, it was simply a means to an end—paying my next tuition bill.

So, if I could sneak in some studying on a break, or if maybe I ushered a customer or two to the door at closing time so I could punch out at the stroke of 9 p.m., well then…. The fact was my true purpose and passion—my overarching why at that time—was getting my degree.

Now tell me—is that different from what we’re seeing now as everybody seems to be talking about quiet quitting, as some employees dial back on how much time and energy they devote to work? And, after all, is it really quitting? Perhaps people are just being conscientious about prioritizing and recalibrating their purpose—finally able to pause and take a breath after the tumultuous last three years.

This recalls a parable I heard years ago about a tourist—an investment banker on vacation—who met a fisherman at a pier in a small coastal village. Noticing the large fish in the fisherman’s small boat, the tourist asked how long it took to catch them.

“Just a few hours,” the fisherman said.

“Why don’t you work longer and catch more?”

The fisherman shrugged. “This is enough for my family’s needs.”

“What do you do for the rest of the day?” the tourist asked.

“Spend time with my wife and family, play guitar, watch the sunset. It’s a good life.”

The tourist shook his head. “You should spend more time fishing, then you could buy a bigger boat or even a fleet. Start a processing plant. Move to a big city. Maybe even an IPO.”

“Then what?” the fisherman asked.

“In 15 or 20 years you could retire,” the tourist replied. “Move to a small coastal village, fish a little, spend time with your family, play guitar, watch the sunset—you know, have a good life!”

These days, everyone seems to be asking the deeper questions. So maybe it’s not giving up but rather giving thought.

And it makes total sense. First, we’ve all been through a monumental event. Second, it triggered a huge reset in the office, out of the office. We still don’t know what this will look like or how this will shake out.

Reflecting back to the start of the pandemic, when everyone hoped for a quick end, my gut was telling me it would last at least 18 to 24 months—followed by a few years of transition. And so here we are….

That’s why I reached out to a few leaders of various organizations this week to get a pulse—on quiet quitting, work/life balance, and more. Their array of answers reflect the perfect storm that we’re in:

“Employees quit for a reason—it’s up to leaders to create a sense of purpose.”

 “Performance still matters.”

 “Wait till things change—this is not going to last.”

“Too much has changed—this is here to stay. And we need to embrace it.”

Paradoxical, perhaps. Contradictory, maybe.

Korn Ferry has data from 86 million assessments of professionals, analyzing their experiences, traits, competencies, and drivers. When looking specifically at what motivates people, one small but interesting component is how professionals value work/life balance. Here’s what we know to be true: it hasn’t changed over the past three decades—it didn’t even blip over the last three years. I know—it’s probably not what everyone would expect.

Taking a deeper dive into that same data also reveals a perhaps inconvenient truth: work/life balance has a negative correlation to advancement, especially the higher up you go. So, no surprise that the senior-most executives of organizations are almost always lower on the work/life balance scale because they derive most of their meaning from their work and careers. And this can change over time and interests, from stages of life to phases of our careers.

Perhaps the late Kobe Bryant captured this dichotomy best when he said, “If you really want to be great at something, you have to truly care about it. If you want to be great in a particular area, you have to obsess over it.”

But we also know that great leaders are high in self-awareness, learning, empathy, humility, and openness to differences—knowing that what motivates one doesn’t necessarily speak to another. To find our purpose, we ask ourselves, “How does our what connect with our why?”

Which brings us back to the world we’re in. Purpose precedes the first step of every journey—whether someone is charging ahead or stepping back to reflect.

So, this isn’t about quitting. Rather, it’s all about people conscientiously finding the purpose that defines their lives—in their moment.

Gary Burnison is CEO of Korn Ferry and the author of The Five Graces of Life and Leadership.

Today’s growing businesses know they need to become innovative ‘people companies’, transforming how they acquire, engage, and manage talent if they are to grow and prosper. However, business owners who don’t have a background in people management find it challenging to get the best out of people.

The good news is that even if you are not a natural leader, managing people is a skill you can learn and improve with practise and the right advice. Here are seven golden rules for people management in a growing business.

1. Learn to delegate

Delegation is one of the most difficult yet important lessons for business owners to learn when their company grows from a handful of people to a larger team. It can be hard to let go if you’re used to doing most of the work yourself. As tempting as it might be to hold onto as many responsibilities as possible and micro-manage when you delegate, it’s important to share the workload.

Start with repetitive tasks that drain your time and add little value to the business, such as admin tasks. Monitor how employees are doing, be available to support them, and invest the necessary resources in training them. Most people are eager to learn, so if they’re properly motivated, they can save you a lot of time. 

2. Understand the basics of labour law

Whether you have one employee or 1 000, it’s important to understand tax and labour laws. While busy business owners often lack patience with paperwork and compliance, knowing the laws and regulations inside-out can avoid unpleasant disputes with employees. South African labour law sets out rigid procedures for disciplining an employee, and it’s important to follow them to the letter.

If you hold a disciplinary hearing, keep accurate records to defend yourself, especially if the employee wants to challenge your decision at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). Also, be sure to document the rules of your workplace, the requirements of the job, and your policies so employees know what is expected of them.

Speak to an HR or labour expert if you aren’t familiar with South Africa’s legal framework complexities.

3. Treat people with professionalism and consistency

Inexperienced managers often fall into the trap of treating staff members as friends or family. This can make matters more difficult if you must correct a staff member’s negligent or unprofessional behaviour or say no when they ask for a favour. Being friendly is necessary to drive good company culture; however, keep it professional. Never allow the lines between friend and manager to become blurred. Above all, be consistent and fair in treating each team member.

4. Communicate clearly

A good manager is a good communicator. Make sure your employees know their tasks, how they need to be done, and their deadlines. Give them regular feedback – positive and corrective – to help them improve and grow. Be honest and transparent with your team about how the business is doing and your strategies for the future. A transparent management style helps to keep staff motivated.

5. Build up your conflict resolution skills

Inexperienced managers often shy away from conflict, whether confronting an employee who is late to work every morning or mediating disputes between employees. It’s important to develop the skills to resolve conflicts constructively before they slow down productivity or dampen morale. Many business schools in South Africa offer training in this field.

6. Listen to your people

Active listening is about paying close attention to the person speaking, not interrupting them, and absorbing what they say. As a manager, it can help you better understand your employees’ thoughts and feelings. This builds mutual trust, equips you to address any obstacles preventing them from reaching their potential, and keeps you attuned to what’s happening in your business.

7. Automate admin and focus on relationships

As a business grows its workforce, the amount of HR and payroll-related admin grows, too. Sage research shows most businesses (83%) spend a significant portion of their time on repetitive tasks, administration, compliance, and maintaining employee records. Automating repetitive, low value activities frees up your time to focus on more strategic parts of people management. Leave the paperwork to an automated system so you can focus on nurturing talent and employee wellbeing, and how you will operate in the age of flexible work. An HR solution can help businesses with record management, leave management, staff scheduling and expenses, among others, creating an integrated experience of digital and human connections.

Gerhard Hartman is the Vice President, Medium Business for Sage Africa & Middle East.