Most organizations are evaluated using the value of assets that the organization has. People are busy valuing their worth using the financial and material possessions that they have. This is an easy way of evaluating the worth of an organization that can be easily ascertained and accepted across board. While money and possessions determine our worth there is one great resource which is the base and foundation of all resources that a lot of people hardly consider if at all they consider it. This foundation and basic resource is the Human Capital/ Resource of an individual or organizations. Many contemporary writers and authorities on leadership and management have grasped this fundamental truth and now prescribe it to organizations and leaders whom they advise. John C Maxwell always say that, “everything rises and falls on leadership.” I totally subscribe to his assertion. It is a leader’s attitude towards his people that determines the productivity of his people.
There are leaders who are so obsessed about red tape and bureaucracy and the least concerned about people. This is the most reliable recipe for dismal failure. Humans or people are, and should be, the greatest and most valued asset of any organization. As important as it is people disregard this fundamental fact. Humans like any living organisms respond to stimuli. So it means in order to get a certain response from humans there is a stimuli that should be inputted. I know that Steven Covey in 7 Habits wrote saying that between stimulus and response humans have a choice. This is true, but this for humans who have developed their life skills, and we will agree that those are the few ones. To be assured of a favourable response just put in the right stimulus to get favourable responses from everyone. Instead of being obsessed with protocols, methodology you can decide to be focused on people. We have a choice of being task oriented leaders, who believe that humans are like machines or understand that human behaviour requires motivation and therefore such motivation and inspiration should be provided.
By Glen Dhliwayo
Comments