“The basis of an organisation is its people; not what it wants out of its people.”
“I want my people to be more productive.”
This might seem like an innocuous statement.
After all, productivity is how we might measure the success of a business.
But think of it another way.
When you’re driving somewhere, are you focused on maximising your speed?
How about your miles-to-gallon performance?
Even if you were focused on those, you’d recognise the need for other factors to be considered that would enable this speed or deliver the fuel efficiency goal.
🐝 Is the car well maintained?
🐝 Do we have any fuel in the car?
🐝 Is the driver safe to operate at those speeds?
🐝 Are the passengers comfortable with the driving experience?
🐝 Would the passengers get in the car next time, if we were to go again?
The vehicle’s efficiency and arrival time are outputs based on those factors.
Similarly, organisational culture is not about thinking of our people as some sort of wet cloth that we can wring out every last drop from.
If we create the environment purposefully, the behaviours that support our results will happen.
And, as that approach is more sustainable, natural and inclusive, we might get back in the car for the next journey too.
