By:
Ciaran Nagle, Global Marketing Manager, OND LLC
Ciaran Nagle, Global Marketing Manager, OND LLC
First it was quality, then it was customer
service, then it was business process re-engineering, then it was
globalization.
service, then it was business process re-engineering, then it was
globalization.
When each of these competitive strategies
came along, CEOs first ignored them, then they laughed at them, then they
fought over them and then you (the consumer) won.
came along, CEOs first ignored them, then they laughed at them, then they
fought over them and then you (the consumer) won.
Now a new game of boardrooms has
emerged from its chrysalis and is looking coyly around the throng of
shareholders, analysts and consultants watching for the next big thing. But
this time there promises to be a whole new class of winner. This time it's the
foot-soldier of the corporation, the honest team member who works hard and
never gets the glory who will stand to benefit most. This time, the employee
wins.
emerged from its chrysalis and is looking coyly around the throng of
shareholders, analysts and consultants watching for the next big thing. But
this time there promises to be a whole new class of winner. This time it's the
foot-soldier of the corporation, the honest team member who works hard and
never gets the glory who will stand to benefit most. This time, the employee
wins.
Yes, the corporation will make honks of
cash too, but more of that later.
cash too, but more of that later.
Intelligent
Teaming has arrived. It's different from all the other differentiators
because it doesn't use employees to deliver its ends. It uses its
ends to deliver employees. (That's 'deliver' as in 'save', of course,
but you knew that). Employees, staffers, corporate slaves, whatever you call
them, for the first time their happiness and job satisfaction (engagement, as
HR calls it) is at the centre of all the overlapping circles on that chart
they're gathered around in the boardroom.
Teaming has arrived. It's different from all the other differentiators
because it doesn't use employees to deliver its ends. It uses its
ends to deliver employees. (That's 'deliver' as in 'save', of course,
but you knew that). Employees, staffers, corporate slaves, whatever you call
them, for the first time their happiness and job satisfaction (engagement, as
HR calls it) is at the centre of all the overlapping circles on that chart
they're gathered around in the boardroom.
The root cause of all this is an
unlikely-sounding source. You see, it all comes from scientific research. Yes,
I know what you're thinking, science is a cold-hearted, unfeeling thing that
makes bombs and over-priced haircare. But on this occasion science has
delivered (that word again) on its promises and done something wonderful for
human kind. Truly, it's done something kind for humans.
unlikely-sounding source. You see, it all comes from scientific research. Yes,
I know what you're thinking, science is a cold-hearted, unfeeling thing that
makes bombs and over-priced haircare. But on this occasion science has
delivered (that word again) on its promises and done something wonderful for
human kind. Truly, it's done something kind for humans.
What science has done
is uncover some truths about the natural strengths and talents that lie deep
within us and how these are absolutely vital to the effectiveness of our work
and our joy in performing said work. Put simply, if we treat our talent as the
bedrock of our ambitions and grow our career roots over it, every workday will
be like a birthday. But if we fail to discover our natural talents and base our
career on our learned skills instead, we will always be miserable. (Deloitte
Shift Index: 80% of us hate our jobs.)
is uncover some truths about the natural strengths and talents that lie deep
within us and how these are absolutely vital to the effectiveness of our work
and our joy in performing said work. Put simply, if we treat our talent as the
bedrock of our ambitions and grow our career roots over it, every workday will
be like a birthday. But if we fail to discover our natural talents and base our
career on our learned skills instead, we will always be miserable. (Deloitte
Shift Index: 80% of us hate our jobs.)
Not only that, but the science has
discovered how we can find out what those natural talents are. (One
day, when the story of this research is told, it will sound like Marie Curie
discovering radium.) And when it's done that and revealed to us what we
were made to do all along, we can pin our place on the talent map, where all
the rest of the world is, and see clearly the kind of work we will actually
enjoy.
discovered how we can find out what those natural talents are. (One
day, when the story of this research is told, it will sound like Marie Curie
discovering radium.) And when it's done that and revealed to us what we
were made to do all along, we can pin our place on the talent map, where all
the rest of the world is, and see clearly the kind of work we will actually
enjoy.
If you think that all sounds too good to be
true, I can hardly blame you. But here's where it gets really interesting.
Those C-level suits circling the flip chart many floors above you have worked
out that people who are happy at their work are also more productive. Are you
seeing it now?
true, I can hardly blame you. But here's where it gets really interesting.
Those C-level suits circling the flip chart many floors above you have worked
out that people who are happy at their work are also more productive. Are you
seeing it now?
That's right, they are ready to invest
wheelbarrow loads of the money you earned for them last year in ensuring you
are excited to come to work next year. Here's the difference it will make to
you. You will have a jaw-dropping moment when you understand, for the first
time ever, what you're really about. It will be like those moments when a deaf
person hears for the first time or a blind person sees. Armed with this
information you and your boss can start to move you towards the role that you
always wanted but didn't know it. Maybe it's the job you're doing now, but with
a few changes. Or maybe it's a completely different job. Or maybe it's
somewhere in-between. Whatever it is, you will have the excitement of knowing
with crystal clarity what direction your career should go in.
wheelbarrow loads of the money you earned for them last year in ensuring you
are excited to come to work next year. Here's the difference it will make to
you. You will have a jaw-dropping moment when you understand, for the first
time ever, what you're really about. It will be like those moments when a deaf
person hears for the first time or a blind person sees. Armed with this
information you and your boss can start to move you towards the role that you
always wanted but didn't know it. Maybe it's the job you're doing now, but with
a few changes. Or maybe it's a completely different job. Or maybe it's
somewhere in-between. Whatever it is, you will have the excitement of knowing
with crystal clarity what direction your career should go in.
As to the corporation you work for, you're
probably not interested to learn that they will achieve an average of 28%
growth in productivity from your team. Or that their recruitment costs will
drop while job continuity will rise dramatically and employee engagement will
skyrocket. But they will.
probably not interested to learn that they will achieve an average of 28%
growth in productivity from your team. Or that their recruitment costs will
drop while job continuity will rise dramatically and employee engagement will
skyrocket. But they will.
So when you hear of Intelligent Teaming
coming your team's way, watch your colleagues and note their reaction. This is
how it will go. First they'll ignore it, then they'll laugh at it, then they'll
fight it and then they'll win.
coming your team's way, watch your colleagues and note their reaction. This is
how it will go. First they'll ignore it, then they'll laugh at it, then they'll
fight it and then they'll win.
About
the Author: Ciaran was introduced to Method Teaming, OND's ground-breaking
science for effective business team formation four years ago. Realizing that
his marketing skills, honed at GE over 10 years, could help OND break out of
their narrow client set (HPE, Big Four Consultancies) into the wider corporate
world he was excited to become their world marketing head. He is based in
London and can be reached at ciaran.nagle@methodteaming.com
the Author: Ciaran was introduced to Method Teaming, OND's ground-breaking
science for effective business team formation four years ago. Realizing that
his marketing skills, honed at GE over 10 years, could help OND break out of
their narrow client set (HPE, Big Four Consultancies) into the wider corporate
world he was excited to become their world marketing head. He is based in
London and can be reached at ciaran.nagle@methodteaming.com
