Without your people or their ‘spark,’ innovation doesn’t mean anything
We talk about innovation. A lot.
But, here’s the thing: There is no innovation without your people and their passion. The ones you hire because they’re qualified. The ones that will work hard, be productive. You can load them up with all of the technology in the world but if you can’t find the right people—or tap into their passion — the technology doesn’t matter.
So where is this perfect employee? Are they a unicorn? Not really. Your next (and existing) employees are there, they just want meaning and purpose in their role. And it doesn’t matter their age or generation.
That was just one of many points (so many good ones) that our Summit Keynote Speaker Jonathan Fields offered at his Talent + Productivity keynote in April.
Having work that motivates and fills your employees (and, yes, you too) isn’t some passing fad, either.
Jonathan says this a paradigm change and there’s the research to prove it. It’s happening at every level, too, not just new or junior employees. He’s met with CEOs of major enterprises that have tapped out and executive leadership team members who have left their jobs after 20 years with nothing on the other side simply because they have stated, “it’s time for me to live.”
The notion of just sticking your head down to hustle, grind, suffer, and someday be out of pain? Off the table. People just won’t endure that anymore.
People want a life. They don’t look at working for any industry or organization as the thing that they do, then hit 65, and then live their lives. They want it now. And there’s no going back.
Sure, we’re simplifying his keynote but to pivot in these times, you’ll need a renewed focus on the value of culture and community and belonging and bringing people together to really sense that they’re part of something powerful and big.
That helps.
But unless, he says, we actually focus on the very granular day-to-day tasks and processes that somebody’s doing in their job, we’re basically trying to make the best icing on the cake possible without focusing on making a better cake. (What a great analogy.)
So, now what? What’s that “spark” that will drive you or your team? A good start is to take Jonathan’s free Sparketype assessment and learn how to unlock the potential of yourself and your team. (Yes, our whole team took it and we’re already having some great conversations.)
If you attended the Summit, were you inspired to take the Sparketype assessment? Were you surprised by the results? Have you tried to change anything so that you’re playing toward what sparks you or your employee’s strengths?
As Jonathan said in his conclusion: “When people are sparked, everyone wins.”
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