You can have the best resource planning processes and systems in the world, but if you have the wrong people in the wrong roles, you’re sabotaging yourself.
Likewise, you need to be staffed with the future in mind to remain agile and adaptive. This is especially true in management and leadership positions.
This Forbes article on solving the big talent problem gets it right. Hire for soft skills, particularly curiosity. People who are eager learners and socially adept will shine regardless of how much technology and skill needs change in the not-so-distant future.
“Stuff” can usually be taught. Behavioral traits, not so much. There are of course exceptions for specialized knowledge workers, but that in itself doesn’t qualify them to manage people.
As management guru Tom Peters likes to point out, an orchestra doesn’t say, “Hey, he’s so great as first violinist, let’s make him conductor!” In baseball, having been a great third baseman doesn’t qualify you to be a great manager. So why do we do this all the time in business? The Peter Principle is alive and well as we regularly promote people to their highest level of incompetence.
Bottom line. If you want to really maximize your resources, you have to get the “people” part right.
#WednesdayWisdom
