People, Not Parts

Around the end of last year I wrote a series of posts on ‘free from the factory’, discussing the shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. The main point: in a knowledge economy you don’t manage people like parts in a machine – you lead them and guide them, because unlike parts, they have the ability to develop and grow.

The organisations that will thrive are people-to-people. They value people, not parts.

What Separates People From Parts?

• Parts need replacing to be better. People can learn new skills and develop themselves.
• Parts are designed to do one function. People can multi-task and have multiple facets.
• Parts can’t create people. People can create parts.
• Parts clone. People customise.
• Parts create volume. People create value.

Practically Investing In People

• Make self-development part of the job. Create a culture of reflection and improvement.
• Remove the one-function wizards. Create exposure to new experiences.
• Emphasise creativity. Expect people to create parts to replace what they used to do, so they have time to innovate.
• Have weekly “what did we learn” meetings.
• Have your team figure out how to customise what you do to deeper levels.
• Emphasise value in your language – show them what an asset they are.

You need a strong team, not a faster machine.