There is an interesting gap between the characterization of someone being a good leader and noticeable failings in workforce management that suggests otherwise.
Consider these questions:
- How can someone be considered a good leader if an overwhelming majority of their employees say they are not engaged in the mission of the company?
- How can someone say they are a good leader if they do not engage in, or encourage, active mentoring of supervisors and front line managers?
- How can someone represent him or herself as an effective leader if they are not investing in workforce development programs?
- How should we equate effective leadership with above average employee turnover the remains a consistent problem?
- How can someone be called a good leader if they do not hold themselves accountable for important performance metrics?
Good leaders make their mark each day. Their priorities and decisions have consequences. Repetitive barking that our employees are our most important asset does not alter the record of evidence when, in most companies, that level of commitment is simply not the case.
Those who aspire to lead an organization should give careful thought to how they can do a better job addressing these important workforce issues. Here is a hint: whether you are the lowest of supervisors, or a member of senior leadership with a corner office, you can (and must) make a difference every day. You cannot wait until you are tapped to be the boss to lock in some critically important good habits.
Trying to reverse 20 or 30 years of bad, neglectful habits/practices is next to impossible to achieve. In a job market where employers escalating expectations, recruiters are being ask to pay more attention to a job candidate’s record in employee engagement and their investment in the workforce.
Maybe, at long last, we are finally beginning to understand that our employees are not just an expense, but rather a vital asset that are worth the investment. Hopefully.