I see the workplace as a critical stage of human education. Performing our jobs well is certainly a crucial element of workplace learning, but there is also a need to focus on who we are as people and how we can be ourselves while meeting our KPI's.
If organisations don’t do this work properly, we end up with workforces that are misaligned with the core passions, strengths, and the uniqueness of its greatest asset – its people.
Neglecting the humanBEING part of your people strategy is like having a car with a Twin-Turbo 2.9-liter V-6 engine and putting the wrong fuel in it – you won't get the same performance as you could or in fact you won't get any performance at all.
This shows up as: high turnover, decreased morale, disrupted workplace harmony, lack of productivity, slow sales, poor customer service, slow growth, and poor innovation, poor workplace mental health. This list could go on and on.
It’s as simple as this – if a person feels ignited because they can be fully themselves, they will be better. Better for themselves, for your organisation, for their teams, for their families, for EVERYTHING.
This shows up as: discretionary effort, loyalty, positivity, change generating resilience, constant innovation, and solution mindset. This list could also go on and on and on.
There's something we all need to know - it's not enough to say 'we embrace everyone' or 'everyone matters'. It’s never enough to just give permission for people to be who they are – you need to teach people how to do it. And this is because up until people sign on the contract and begin working for you – largely they have never been taught about self-knowledge and what it means to take action based on who I am and what works for me.
Think about it – where is personal values discovery on the national curriculum? Where is understanding how your mind works or emotional intelligence as an exam option? Where is the person who aced setting personal boundaries and getting to grips with perspective on the assembly awards podium?
This all becomes particularly relevant for me with the Zoomers that are beginning to join the working world – we have an opportunity to continue their education. We can shape their learning journey not only with how to be competent and brilliant at work but also how to be competent and brilliant at being themselves.
If organisations across the globe give equal attention to teaching people how to do their jobs and how to be themselves not only will we see a whole new level of positive workplace culture, but we will also experience a whole new level of societal culture by developing humans that are wholly better at being human.
Are you fed up with drawing on all the same "tried and tested" strategies for engaging and developing your people, and feeling like you are getting nowhere? This is why, we have been looking at the problem in the wrong, limiting way for too long!
Come with me, I have found a different kind of solution that goes to the true heart of what it means to be a human. By working together, using the strategies and tools I've developed over many years, you will start to see that the "problem" (all people are different) is in fact the biggest opportunity we have. And by tapping into this with your people, we might just change the world along the way.
I’ve created an online, on demand session to get you and/or your employees started on this journey.
Click here to take the session https://www.whats-possible.com/fortitude-sessions
Or click here to get in touch and find out how you can use it to support your organisation https://www.whats-possible.com/fortitude-sessions
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