So You Think You Can Dance

Welcome to a week’s collections of observations, questions and rumblings about the wild and often dangerous place we refer to as ‘work’: where axes fall, the other foot drops and heads are often kept low. Where we always see something astounding, something you simply couldn’t make up on your own. Where there’s often excessive analysis and way too little freedom to act. Where inspiring leadership is, especially now, in huge demand but is largely invisible. Where people want to make a real difference but are prevented from doing so. Where ‘valued customers’ are too infrequently treated with value and, surprisingly, rarely like customers. Where the vast majority of employees would never return if they could afford to and many know to the day how much time remains before retirement. Welcome to The World of Work, a place where many are forced to dance with unattractive partners (called ‘employers’).

• Generations only differ in age. Enough with the Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial differences already! This thing about generational differences in the workplace just doesn’t fly, no matter how hard the researchers work at it. The experiences of the different age groups varies – my grandparents, for example, would never have considered traveling by air, especially if snacks were an added cost – but our basic desires about work are largely the same. Who among us, regardless of age, doesn’t want meaningful work, a chance to do our job in our own style, have opportunities to grow, receive recognition for performance, get paid commensurate with our contributions, have the ability to help our company win, and, critically, to be treated with dignity and respect? Maybe we should focus on creating workplaces where our basic needs can be met, rather than debating the differences between the age groups. Maybe then more people would stop counting the days to retirement and companies could flourish.

• Can ‘strategy’ and ‘HR’ be used correctly in the same sentence? If there is any function in the workplace looking for credibility, it’s Human Resources. Long relegated to the dark and dank ‘back room’ of organizations, HR of late has been asked to shed its Personnel shackles, invited to sit with the adults at The Table and, at very long last, has been asked to join the conversation about how to grow the business. Sadly, far too many HR departments have yet to contribute to this conversation in any real and meaningful way. Sad, because a strong case can be made that only HR – given the talent and expertise that resides there – is capable of creating a work place that can sustain long-term profitable growth. And, hardly a shock, they can do so by creating a work environment where people have meaningful work, a chance to do the job in one’s own style, and the other critical elements of work mentioned above. But, are they doing this? Not nearly enough. Instead, many HR functions debate, among other things, about whether they represent management or non-management (the wrong question, to be sure), whether Payroll should be part of their function (no offense, Payroll; we love and need you), and whether performance reviews should be done on the employee’s anniversary date or conducted all at the same time (like it really matters). Now is the time for HR functions across the land to step up, develop an effective strategy for growing the business and executing that strategy brilliantly. You’re at The Table. Don’t let us down, HR. We need you.

• “We know you have a choice of airlines.” For those among us who fly, you’re familiar with this phrase, repeated after every landing, thanking those on the plane for paying real cash money for almost no service. And while we should never overlook the fact that the plane landed safely, the question remains: Where has all the service gone? What does a smile cost? A warm welcome? A heartfelt good-bye? A second cup of water? And it’s not just airlines that seemed to have forgotten who pays the bills. Service just about everywhere seems to have taken a noticeable hit. Surprising, too, given that as spending declines and the competition for business increases, one would think that service would truly become a competitive advantage. If that were indeed true, we should all be experiencing amazing service, no? So, why is this not the case? Why is service declining? Could it be that United and the others don’t think we really have a choice of airlines? That stores don’t believe we can shop elsewhere? That banks and insurance companies don’t need to provide good service? That service doesn’t matter? That we won’t remember? We’ll share our Theory of Bad Service and what to do about it with you next week.

Enough ranting. It’s your turn. Use the comments to leave us your thoughts, examples and especially your ‘dance steps’ – your way of handling what’s dealt to you at work. See you next week.