I remember discussing with one of my clients about how employees are so committed and gung ho when in college. But somehow their attitudes and demeanor take a beating in the workplace. How can we get our employees out of this floundering and drifting state? Yes, this particular client organization does have great hiring practices and go to great lengths to boost employee engagement levels. But it’s just not enough.
This did not surprise me. Why? It’s because the focus of current HR practice is to target “top talent” roughly about 1-2% of the organization population. The top talent are put on a fast track program, groomed to be the best leaders, assigned to special projects and paid handsomely way above the market. They are expected to be future leaders of the organization. You don’t have to be a genius to know that this top talent group will be switched on and raring to go everyday compared to the rest of 98% of the employee population.
But if we want employees to be full of energy and commitment, clearly something has got to change. Talent program is clearly not sufficed. In a recent article by Josh Bersin, Principal and Founder of Bersin Deloitte, “Why People Management is Replacing Talent Management”, he advocates that “companies should focus on everyone’s strengths and finding roles that help people leverage their skills, empowering them to add value wherever we can”. The operative word being “everyone”. He calls this “people management”
The challenge then becomes, how do organizations empower and engage everyone to be future leaders not just the selected few. This goes against the thinking that you are either born to be a leader or not. Leader is not for everyone. Well, this is no longer true. There has been a breakthrough in science. Ex-Harvard professor Tal Ben-Shahar and his colleague Angus Ridgway, ex-McKinsey Head of Leadership Development, found that by changing intrinsic behaviors, everyone can be a 10x leader. A 10x leader is someone who is 10 times more effective than an average leader. In terms of rank, 10x leader is the equivalent of a Jedi master. According to Tal and Angus, not only is a 10x leader achievable but also desirable. After all both organizations and individuals want the same thing, they both want to reach their full potential. It’s human nature.
Imagine the impact from unleashing the power of 10x leaders inside an organization; the creativity, the commitment to quality, the customer service and the productivity. Why? Because your employees will be operating within peak performance zone instead of the drifting state. Your employees will be full of energy and drive. To use a Star Wars metaphor, by changing your employees’ intrinsic behaviors, you have increased their level of midi-chlorians that allow harnessing the force within and becoming a Jedi master – 10x leader.
Over the next few articles, I will be sharing with you principles of becoming a 10x leader. How can we propel ourselves to operate at peak performance zone? Until then, may the force be with you!
Suvit Chansrichawla, next-generation HR consultant under the brand Serendipity&Co., partner of the Curve Group in Thailand.
