About a year ago a talented professional in my industry was promoted to a management position, albeit without a salary increase. That, this individual was told by his superiors, would come the following month at his formal, annual review. One month later, at that review, however, this newly promoted supervisor was informed there would be no raise and that, perhaps, he should start looking for a new place of employment. Confused? Who wouldn’t be?
Do you provide your employees with a roadmap for success? Further, do you provide the resources, support, direction and feedback necessary for them to succeed? Many companies, possessing little vision nor a business plan themselves, fail in turn to properly mentor and direct the professionals vital to moving the business forward. Put yourself in the shoes of the aforementioned individual. One minute he’s a star and the next he’s expendable?
Perhaps above all else, every company should promote and celebrate diversity of thought and opinion. From new ideas and perspectives comes innovation and evolution. The person that was promoted and then shunned was never afraid to speak his mind and offer a difference of opinion (albeit always professionally) where warranted. Incredibly, this may have been his “undoing.”
Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), this individual was recently let go by his flailing company. Not surprisingly, no concrete reasons were given, only the stock: “This isn’t working out” and “This isn’t a good fit.” What could he have done differently? What should he have worked on? He hasn’t a clue; nor, evidently, do they.
It may be a cliché but it is true: Our employees are our most important resource. It is through them that we succeed or fail. How do you treat yours?