Gathering Perspectives and Speaking Up!

The importance of "employee value propositions," organizational culture and taking the time to effectively develop managers and leaders are topics of an endless outpouring of articles from credible sources that serve as proof of the significance of these issues to organizations that strive to be successful.

Reading different authors' perspectives on these topics is helpful in my opinion because you never quite get the whole picture by viewing issues in just one way. In fact, being strategic requires being analytical and thoroughly understanding how many critical parts relate. Seeing issues from different vantage points often can bring more clarity to what is possible.

As an example, FastCompany's expert blogger Shawn Parr recently posted an excellent explanation of the critical relationship culture and strategy share that you must understand if you and your company want to succeed. The take away is that people matter "more than machinery, products, or real estate" and if your culture doesn't support your employees in supporting you — even the best strategy is going nowhere. Check it out because the post relates to everything going on in business today.

Another timely discussion about companies coming out of this recession seeking increased efficiencies and nimbleness in their organizations appeared at Human Resource Executive Online earlier this month and it talks about the pros and cons of flattening organizations — eliminating layers of management.

Andrew Mcllvaine's article relates a number of potential risks that have to be acknowledged and addressed if positive, organizational improvements from flattening are to be realized. Not only do managers have to gear up for increased numbers of direct reports as a result of flattening, but career paths and promotional opportunities change, impacting not only current employees but the attraction of new talent as well. It is a good read for any of you experiencing or contemplating "flattening."

And finally — what day is complete without a little caffeine? Well in this case I'm referring to Art Petty's Leadership Caffeine blog just last month in which he talks about something that also could be the fallout of "flattening" but has really been going on for a long time in many companies as a debilitating weak spot in management development.

What he calls "promote and run" affects too many newly promoted team leaders, supervisors or managers in their initial days when they receive little or no support or coaching from their own direct managers regarding their newly assumed roles. "That's how I learned" as a culture is counter-productive and supports what part of the bottom line again?

HR's role in all of these areas (as examples of issues that impact businesses either positively or negatively) should first be to understand them and the dynamics they create or influence across the company. Speaking up about them and assuring that intended and unintended consequences have at least been considered before actions are or change is introduced are equally critical if you believe people are important and are the secret to delivering on any business strategy. That is really where it all begins and in essence should never end.

The ultimate accountability for business outcomes falls to leadership, but if your leadership has not connected all of the dots in the realm of how employees may or will be affected by decisions being made, then you (in HR) may not have spoken up enough.

Take a look at the articles above and let us know what you think.