We all have them -- Stereotypes. Certain thoughts or feelings that pop into your mind when you hear a word or phrase.
I think the workplace is becoming much more talent-focused (as it should be), with more and more of the company dollar being distributed through the talent structure rather than being raked into the company coffers.
An effect this shift has is that I believe company walls will not only become more transparent, but they will become a lot more free-form, enabling creative employment situations we might scoff at or dismiss as impractical. For example, I foresee top-talent sharing their problem-solving-prowess among many companies at the same time--physically and virtually.
To get from here to there, many stereotypes need to change:
- You're Hired: Of course, this is a great thing, but in the fluid workplace, it won't carry nearly the clout it has now.
- You're Fired: No matter how the deal goes down, if you get canned, the rumor mill seems to churn out merciless backstabbing.
Look, if a company can't fire once in a while, it has to wait for people to DIE before strategic moves can be made. That's not only bad business, it's stupid. Getting let-go from a position shouldn't be looked at negatively (well, without reasons) - Updated Resume: When someone sees a resume, they automatically expect that the person is leaving, or getting ready for the leap. This will have to change. It's proven... the best resumes are those which are constantly groomed and updated.
- Over-networking: Someone seen a little overly-ambitious to get that client's business card may be snubbed as someone less loyal to the company than he-or-she deserves. This is a foolish notion. Whatever happened to customer-attention and service?
- Responding to a Recruiter: Getting caught having a chat with a recruiter can be like death to your company-image. Yet, repeatedly, it is recommended to executives to always return recruiter phone calls, no matter how uninterested you are in a job-search. It's polite for one, and secondly, you never know what golden-client of yours they're working with... and they just might refer them to you because of your professionalism.
At the end of the day, business will be about the heart-and-soul someone puts into it, and the results that come out of it. We cheat ourselves out of productivity and valuable relationships when we let petty stereotypes impede our ability to work well with our colleagues.
Re: Getting Fired -- Let me elaborate on this point for a moment.
It's hard for me to hear whenever I findout someone was fired. But the truly sad thing is when I find out that they were not prepared for it.
I was caught very off-guard by a layoff in early 2001. That day set in motion a chain of events that has absolutely changed my life from that time until the present.
The worst thing is that I was unprepared. I hadn't done the due-dilligence, I hadn't shaken the hands, hadn't browsed the web, hadn't kept my eyes peeled for new relationships that might have formed a web of safety should something go wrong.
If I forget to pay my mortgage, who's to blame? But, when an employee gets fired--and isn't ready for their next move--the fired employee, and his friends and family still seems to blame the previous employer.
It seems to me that about 10-20% of professionals are actually doing the small things (usually, it means GIVING of your talent, time and energy... and Don't Keep Score) that will ensure a soft landing should your current position fall through.
...Love is the killer app
Posted by: Robert Merrill | September 5, 2006 6:25 AM | Permalink to Comment