I attended a seminar this morning presented by the St. Louis Business Journal, "The New Economy". Michael Forster, Managing Partner of Sandberg, Phoenix & Von Gontard and Doug Mueller of Mueller Prost PC were the presenters. The discussion centered around what businesses can/should be doing as we move (slowly) out of the recession.
While much of the discussion dealt with business operating methods and protocols, there were times when issues affecting employees were discussed. Actually, it was more like how employees affect businesses. I was struck that there was no mention of the need for programs to support (if not assure) employee retention.
I've written previously in this blog about how employees have a responsibility to themselves to find appropriate training and grow professionally (The Workplace Has Changed . . . Have You?). Hopefully, employers are supporting (and paying for) that effort. I've also talked about the need for the retention of premier employees (Are you Being Taken Care Of . . . Or Taken Advantage Of?) Employees need to grow in their careers, and employers should want to keep those employees who consistently do that.
There was what I considered to be an interesting observation made by Mr. Forster. He suggested that in the "new economy", we had to behave more like in the "old economy". He talked about the need for dedicated hard work for everyone, no matter what you do. Hard work like in the "old days". Hard work like our parents and grandparents talk about. Interesting . . . that seems to fly in the face of theories of accommodating the newest generations X & Y.
Further, it was suggested that the development of "real expertise" is being eroded by automated systems, and the reality that employees no longer stay with one company long enough to develop or enhance that company's specific expertise. Another interesting point. Think about how few people in the workforce now rise through the ranks from the bottom to the top of the same enterprise. Can you think of any?
Obviously, innovation in any business creates advantage. Innovation will be essential to fuel the "real" growth of the US economy. I'm not talking about getting back to where we were, I'm talking about significant, job creating, lifestyle enhancing, growth. Innovation is the result of happy, experienced employees.
It seems like the way things are going, we are not on a track to have many of those!
Think about how your existing job and career might change if you decided you were going to become the CEO of your company. You wouldn't let those little "issues of the day" bother you. You'd find better ways of doing things. You wouldn't take "no" for an answer. You'd become Indispensable to your employer . . . and in so doing, become immeasurably more valuable ("Are You Indispensable Or Vulnerable?"). If all that happened in the longer term, you'd get promotion after promotion. You'd rise through the ranks, until you reached the top. Interesting . . .
Do you really have a career strategy to reach career goals, or are you just looking for what you perceive to be a "better job" . . . ? Are you expert enough to innovate?
Just curious . . .!
