Grains of Gold

In knowledge-driven organizations, operating in volatile environment, there’s little room for average performers. Passion and genuine curiosity for people and business is probably the most stated and most underestimated driver for success in the future. Innovation and change both thrive on passion, curiosity and simply ‘having guts’ to dream, take a decision, try, fail or succeed, learn anyway and get better or discover more. Ironically, none of this can be formally taught or trained. It can only be spotted, appreciated and placed into the right environment to continue shining out.

If you know what the focus of your business is and what you need to be able to run it, then you know what kind of people you’re looking for. Subsequently, a powerful, urgent and inspiring business learning environment needs to be provided, where through cross-team, -community or - unit collaboration complexity is embraced and serendipity is optimally facilitated.

Top talents would be willing to join if they feel they can develop and be part of the evolution of the company. A sense of ownership during a period of transition and identity crisis might turn out to be just as attractive to them as an immediate chance to work for a currently top performing organization.

…focusing on the denominator of the productivity equation – the cost side – is a game in diminishing returns. Each additional increment of cost reduction is harder and harder to deliver. And yet the pressure continues to mount. What to do?

The key answer that defines the postdigital enterprise is to shift attention from the cost side to the value side. Rather than treating employees as cost items that need to be managed wherever possible, why not view them as assets capable of delivering ever increasing value to the marketplace? This is a profound shift in focus.