21st Century People Deserve Great Leadership

Good Morning...

Throughout much of the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, workers could count on a "job for life."

That is...if they decided to stick with it...

This was an unspoken rule...that was so strong that people and companies could not envision a different world!  Both parties knew and understood it...

It was so embedded in the honor and integrity of workers and organizations...that once a person worked in a job or for a particular company...they depended upon that vocation or company...and the dependence was mutual from the company's perspective...

People...however...feared being terminated for unjust reasons...by poor managers...

Although the workers trusted the organizations...they didn't trust particular individuals within management...

It doesn't take an advanced degree to recognize poor management or incompetent leadership...

As a result they required protection...some type of representation with clout...for protection from bad management practices...

There was power in numbers and unity...(UNIONS)...

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The fact of the matter is...most of the companies that had unions...deserved them...

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I personally opposed unions and unionization because they stood in my way of being the kind of leader that I wanted to be...

Not a poor one...but one that could work with each individual as each needed...treating people like people...rather than some "cog" in a machine...

I couldn't do what I wanted to do or be what I wanted to be...because of limitations imposed in bargaining agreements...

Then the tides changed...

Towards the end of the 20th century...unions and unionization began to lose favor with the workers...Companies found they could actually pay non-unionized workers more and make more money!

"Employment at will" and "union-free" environments became commonplace...

What a great opportunity to focus on what really matters...

Yet many organizations did not take advantage of the situation to expand their ability to improve their leadership...and overall treatment of the general labor force...

Instead the BAD organizations took the advantage of the "employment at will" opportunity to a point that they began treating employees as expendable...

"Bring them in...use them...fire them...we have that right!"  "We can replace anybody"

...and on and on...

AND these same organizations demand loyalty...

...and when times got tough...

...they cut the strings without so much as a minute's notice...

Blind-side the unsuspecting workers...under the guise of doing it for their own protection...

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Companies take an inordinate amount of time and spend lot's of money to find just the right person...

"...Although you possess many admirable skills and your experience is commendable, we have found an individual with more qualifications and a better fit..."  is sent in thousands of rejection letters and emails daily...

Are these same companies looking hard and long at their existing management?

Do they trim the under-performing managers as quickly as they cut those who are working on the floor?

Are they gone on a moment's notice?

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The New Equilibrium

The general labor force deserves great management and leadership...just as much as companies demand and deserve great workers...

This is what the 21st century is now demanding...

The sooner that organizations realize this...the sooner the new equilibrium will be achieved!

An organization can not exercise what they interpret as the "right to work" flexibility...without having to provide great leadership and management...

Companies should also balance their hunger for profitability with a need for longevity...

Companies depend on people...and people depend on companies...

This is the one of the many epiphanies that must occur for 21st century organizations...

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Those organizations that do not realize the aforementioned...or choose to ignore it will experience either...

Death by arrogance...(a slow decline of profitability and inability to meet compliance requirements)...or...

Death through strangulation...(an inability to find anyone competent to work for them)

In either case...the outcome is not a good one...

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The 21st century organization will step up to the challenge...and thrive...

Those undeserving of that honor...will head down the track of becoming a fond memory...

Which organization do you want to work for?

Which organization do you want to be?

Enough Said?

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Pura Vida!