Something magical

We’re all in business and we’re all constantly searching for the same thing. Something magical with the power to create profit without changing our products, services or customers.

The good news is that I’ve found it!  And it may not be quite what you were expecting. It’s been around longer than any technology.

It requires no market intelligence. And there’s not a hashtag or emoji in sight! Even better is that there’s a simple three-step plan to harness it. Or should I say them.

Because the opportunity is to be found in our people. Particularly our managers who have the ability to take our culture, our people and our performance to new levels. The opportunity is to be a better manager at work.

We can literally go ‘Back to the Future’ – the film title was the inspiration for this article.

How to be a better manager? Start with accepting change

Many of the greatest opportunities have come about as a result of change. So, how can you be a better manager at work in this ever-changing landscape? People who are running big businesses are (on average) getting older. Yet, in Asia, 70% of employees are Millennials. Elsewhere in the world that number is over 30%. Between them and the directors who pay their wages lies a huge gulf in culture, expectations and values.

The ‘C’ suite within so many businesses remain linear and traditional. They have grown-up in a world where the numbers come first, and the culture comes a distant second at best. Employees, on the other hand, are more agile and value led. They choose to work in ethical, progressive and consultative environments. Only 18% feel that their companies are good at developing leaders. They are uninspired by the ‘same old’ approach to HR, training and culture. They are desperate to find something newer, better and more empathetic, and they are willing to move jobs to find it.

Bridge the culture gap, in three simple steps

This presents an incredible opportunity. The vast majority of businesses are not bridging the culture gap. They have focused on what their customers want, without making a similar adjustment to the ever-changing needs of their employees.

This is so easy to change. Many great organisations have already done it, and the majority are run by Millennials and newer generations. They recognise that, even in the age of technology, people remain our greatest asset, and can produce the greatest returns of all. Each has delivered on these three simple steps:

• they have a clear corporate vision embracing everything they do;


• with an agility that allows their people to flourish; and


• an empathy that allows them to embrace, not repel, their people.

In that setting, managers can be empowered to motivate and engage. We can help those who are more experienced develop more current skills through coaching and mentoring rather than box-ticking and lecturing. They, in turn, can harness the talent within our multi-generational workforce, Millennial, Generation Z and beyond.

Investing in a new system or trendy approach may be more exciting on the face of it, but developing our people and upskilling their managers, will have a much deeper and more meaningful impact on the bottom line.