By Matt Paese, Ph.D.
Roll up your sleeve, squeeze your fist, and if you need to, look away. This won’t hurt a bit. It also might not work.
Seems that lots of organizations are feverish these days, suffering from disengaged workforces, leadership under-performance, and at the same time, deeply slashed talent management budgets.
But these aren’t our worst ailments. I hate to say it, but true talent growth won’t happen because we have great HR programs. Yes, we need these to perpetuate our efforts, but we need something much more basic: we need to be less afraid of our own growth.
Not afraid you say? Ask yourself how much change is needed in your organization. Now think of the biggest change you’ve made recently (at work). Be honest. Does the rate of individual growth meet the demand for it?
Growth and fear are brothers. As we strive forward, each of us faces our own fears and responds in our own unique ways.
- The executive who fears her unit is failing responds with aggression and micromanagement
- The software engineer fears layoffs and responds with apathy
- The middle manager fears more strategic confusion and resists change
Find the places in your organization where conversations about talent take place, and ask yourself if those are safe places for people to be open and candid, and if the resources and encouragement are there to make it happen. Start by making the unsafe places safer and more truthful.
Vaccination presumes that we have the antidote inside us. The vaccination simply awakens it. So, what vaccinates against our fears? Honesty. Courage. Cooperation. Authenticity. Humility. And striving to be better. These virtues live in our nature.
This year, let’s take the shot, confront what makes us afraid, together, and turn fear into growth. Talent managers? You have to administer the shot.
Follow the series 10 Talent Resolutions for 2010.
Matt Paese is the Vice President of Executive Solutions for Development Dimensions International (DDI)
Comments