The Real Business You Are In

June 27 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway

I have six kids who are currently 24, 16, 14, and 7-year-old triplets. They are individually unique, even each of the triplets-unique in their interests, preferences, and dislikes. If you have kids, siblings or parents, you have experienced these differences between even two individuals. Yet, when discussing what it takes to motivate employees or increase their yield from individual contributions, few substantive responses are provided. One leader responded, "That's why we have HR!" You can't delegate people leadership.

What motivates one person can demotivate another. Several like cheese, one despises it. One person likes to be up in front of their peers, another will work to never have that privilege. We are all in the human capital business. Our employees trade their energy, behaviors, interests, and attention for compensation. What are you doing to make that trade worthwhile? Another leader will, if you don't know your people and what interests or turns them off. Regardless of your business, if you are a leader of people, you are in the people business. That is your real business.

"Each of us is a unique strand in the intricate web of life and here to make a contribution." - Deepak Chopra

"Imagine how many suicide victims would still be with us, if only the right person said the right thing at the right time." - Wayne Gerard Trotman

"When it comes to understanding others, we rarely tax our imaginations." - Lawrence Hill