As we navigate the world of corporate entities, titles and positions can your organization offer opportunities to realize core business values? If the response is no, then your organization needs to take a deep look at its corporate culture. We all know Human Resource should not just be a department focused on personnel management. Your HR department can do a lot more for the people it hires and retain. Think about it during the next performance review. Ask the questions, are your leaders developing the talent and mindset equipped to handle all aspects of organizational growth? Can your leaders develop and execute succession planning initiatives? In my experience, there is a huge difference in process versus people management. The process managers are often only looking at systems and not the big picture. People managers are not equipped with the tools which allow companies to foster innovation and creativity. We have all encountered leaders that forget their employees can add value simply by thinking about trends and pain points in day-to-day business management.
Why should an organization invest in entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, and abilities? The answer to the question is why not. Investing in your employees will only create individuals that can solve problems that are sometimes hidden within job titles or responsibilities. The solution is to offer training, utilize a vendor or supplier who can teach employees entrepreneurial skills which can later guide your company in times of economic downturn or stagnation. We often require employees to wear many hats while neglecting to build future leaders. Notice the term, leader. A manager who is great at delegating tasks may not have the skills to develop leaders. The strengths in building a culture of entrepreneurship can help mitigate risks, create business opportunities, and innovate the newest service or technology.
Creating an entrepreneurship culture allows employees to take ownership in the work they perform while leading the company in the next stages of organizational growth. I often ask employees specifically managers during interviews if they have a side hustle or marketable skill. While some employees will answer the question directly most will miss the point of the line of questioning. The purpose of the question is to gauge abilities not often displayed in a resume or performance review. We as Human Resources professionals have a great opportunity to see an employee’s potential beyond a position or title. I love to ask the question especially when determining if an individual has leadership abilities. It is a novice idea, but are managers or supervisors really practicing staff or employee development? If not, I implore HR leaders and business owners to promote entrepreneurship training. The next great idea or even a solution to your company’s problems can be addressed by simply including the question, do you have interests or abilities that are entrepreneurial? Just try it! I hope this article in the series Staffing 101 is helpful. Stay tuned for my next article regarding human resources and employment-focused subjects.
