2010
Unleashing human capability
What, if anything, do ConAgra Foods (a U.S.-based food company) and Symphony Services (an Indian-based technology company) have in common?
Well, people. They both employ people. Other than that, no other commonalities spring quickly to mind.
Nevertheless, here’s something I learned from interviewing senior executives at both companies as a part of our research for Good Company (the book that my colleagues and I are in the midst of writing). Executives at both organizations stated that they are seeking to “unleash human capability” or “liberate people capability” (same idea, different words).
The fact that such different organizations would both view the world in such a similar way strikes me as both interesting and important. What it means is that these executives understand that as the industrial era fades further into the rear view mirror of economic history, we must find ways to break free of the ubiquitous (but largely invisible) artifacts of it. They are everywhere – from how we account for and report on the people side of the business (as costs) to how we manage and train employees (still all too often as if they were “production workers” rather than “knowledge workers”).
John Maynard Keynes summed up the challenge as follows, “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” Old habits die hard.
The organizations that will thrive and prosper in the future will be those that systematically figure out how to identify and move away from old habits (or lack thereof) in the areas of thought, beliefs, processes and policies that are keeping them locked into the past. Such habits can literally render organizations unable to realize the promise of the future, due to their inability to unleash their human capability.
There’s a lot of good and important work to be done!
Tagged ConAgra, Symphony Services, unleashing human capability
Les PickettApril 6, 2010 at 7:01 am
There is nothing quite as comfortable and reassuring to many senior corporate executives (in both private and public sectors) than the security of the known.
My experience in many organizations in many countries highlights the need to rattle the cage of senior management until they clearly recognize that times really are a’changin’ and that the scant recognition given to the many people in the organization who translate objectives and strategies into action is ripping off their various stakeholders… shareholders, staff, suppliers, customers.
The future seems pretty clear – really just a progression of the past and present – only incompetent executives and managers will neglect the under-utilized human capabilities that exist at all levels in their respective organizations.
Laurie BassiApril 20, 2010 at 5:48 pmAuthor
So what’s the best cage rattling technique that you have come across, Les?