The secrets to unleashing your potential Depending on your perspective, this is the best of times or the worst of times within the area of talent management. Without a doubt, the ability to deliver consistent and profitable results during tough economic times has become more of a challenge. We are in a period of constant change and uncertainty within the workplace. As a result, many organizations are struggling with winning the war on talent. The need for high performance-driven employees has become even more critical to achieving bottom line projections. Successful companies understand that their talent pool workforce is their best resource to achieve greater results. With this understanding comes the wisdom that organizations must continue to invest in the growth and development of their employees. In my role as an organizational coach, I help leaders unleash their potential to deliver business results. During this era of cost cutting and budget cuts, many organizations are concerned with the financial burden of implementing talent initiatives. I have discovered over the years that investing in your people does not always need to equate to an immediate monetary increase. Quite often, simply taking the time to listen and allowing others to express their ideas goes a long way in retaining great people. I would like to share with you three of my greatest lessons learned in creating a work culture where everyone feels valued and respected for their skills and thought leadership. Leaders must learn to value unique perspectives. Organizations will attract and retain the best people when individual contributions are positioned as the ultimate key to long term success. For example, creating a forum where employees can freely brainstorm and contribute to solving challenges by offering unique ideas can go a long way in creating an open culture. Leaders must learn to foster relationships that allow them to tap into the rich resources of people. Organizations must transition to a culture where the importance of relying on each other to create the best solutions is the only acceptable way to communicate. For example, people work best with those they trust and like, so providing for opportunities to create deeper relationships must become the norm rather than the exception. Leaders must learn to use the power of diversity and inclusion as a tool to achieve a competitive edge. Organizations that recognize and respect differences will achieve the desired long-term business results. For example, learning to capitalize on cultural and gender differences is a strategy that can be used to attract the best thinking and highest performance. Understanding the needs of your employees to be regarded as assets to the organization can go a long way in bridging the gap between current results and achieving improved profit margin. Leaders gain needed insight on what it really takes to deliver sustained business results when they are open to making the extra efforts to ensure everyone feels included in the vision. So what is the secret to effectively unleash the potential of your employees? I believe leaders must help their staff determine how to “best fit” within the organizational culture where their skills will make the best contribution. Becoming comfortable with allowing others to be more innovative allows leaders to achieve business objectives and ultimately increase productivity. It sounds like the ideal solution to unleashing the potential that can turn business results around. Deborah Chambers Chima, CEO of Chambers Consultant Group, Ltd. is an author, speaker, leadership coach and consultant who collaborates with organizations and individuals to accelerate their productivity. Contact her at deborah@chambersconsult.com.

Posted on Monday, July 07, 2008 (Archive on Monday, July 14, 2008) Posted by jstoltz  Contributed by jstoltz

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