WITHOUT PEOPLE NOTHING IS POSSIBLE.

For the past few weeks I’ve been writing about Focus Follow Up, and Follow Through and how we need to be meticulous about each step in the process. But there’s one thing I’ve not addressed as much as I believe I need to. 

I touched on this in my article about Focus and how we need to be sure that we are focusing on the right things. Things that are often on our minds. Things we often talk about, but don’t always implement, even though we know we should. The things I referred to in this article were more along the lines of personal self-care.

In the articles about Follow Up and Follow Through, I spoke more about how we need to make sure that from a #business perspective, once we’ve focused on the right things, they’re implemented, or executed both on time, and in alignment with the original objective.

I also mentioned how we have tools, or systems like Optevo which can help both leaders and team members from the beginning of the process through to the end. They can help us keep things on track, provide transparency, improve communication and allow for seamless collaboration.

However, great as these aids are, we need to remember there’s more to it when it comes to actually getting the work physically done. There’s another element which is absolutely critical. That element is people. 

Without people, nothing gets done. It’s people who use the tools as part of the process of doing the work, not the other way around. So the thing we need to remember is that people are not cogs in the wheel of business. They are the fuel that drives the engine of work. 

A good leader understands that people are not automatons. They can’t be switched on to ‘business mode’ when they begin the workday and then switched off from that mode and on to ‘personal mode’ at the end of the workday. We humans are emotional beings who need a specific kind of environment to be able to function to our full potential.

We need support, encouragement, mentoring, connection and community with other humans. It’s essential for leaders to develop a human-centric culture which provides this kind of environment if we hope to have teams of fully engaged people who are working together to achieve a common goal.

This is where a system like Optevo can be incredibly helpful in supporting a human-centric approach. It relieves much of the pressure on both the leader, and the team members, by making it easy to focus, follow up and follow through. It keeps the objective front and center and workflow transparent.

The important thing about this is that it gives everyone more time. Leaders have more time for one-on-one with team members, helping them to be the best they can be. This kind of mentoring is invaluable for leaders who believe in raising more leaders from within their teams. It’s how we can support individuals to be the best they can be, and realize their personal growth ambitions as well as their professional goals.

It also allows leaders to focus on building relationships, trust and community. All of which are essential to create a unique culture which in turns creates a competitive edge in the marketplace. 

When we look after people, then productivity, profitability, innovation and creativity will automatically follow. Because, in reality, there’s no point in business without people. 

What do you think about this? Do you agree? Or disagree? What has your experience been?

#People #HumanCentric