The human territory involves the search for meaning. Why am I here? What is this organisation about?
Workers in the human territory are attracted to a social heart, clear and unwavering ethics and blameless brands. Humanness and community are highly valued. Relationships are real, rather than manufactured. Yes, there is tension, but this is resolved by authentic dialogues and empathy.
Souls before goals
- Employees who believe their managers can name their strengths are 71% more likely to feel engaged and energised. (The VIA Institute on Character)
- Companies that increase their number of talented managers and double the rate of engaged employees achieve, on average, 147% higher earnings per share than their competition. (Gallup)
“The human world seeks an ‘all thrive’ environment.”
Humans in this territory are much more than just resources. The human world seeks an “all thrive” environment, putting “souls before goals”.
In order to thrive in a human territory, you should be able to embody these five characteristics:
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Self-Awareness
It is important to consider whether judgements and behaviour – if based on conscious and unconscious biases – create inherently good decisions, or bad ones? Self-awareness is the key. Leaders that understand their own beliefs, and those of their teams, are better equipped to judge decisions objectively and put frameworks in place to account for them where necessary.
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Empathy
Understanding others is vital for the health and success of any business. Empathy as a leader is vital in a human territory as it empowers teams, opens dialogues, avoids conflict, builds trust and camaraderie. It requires strength and authenticity – allowing teams to operate at a high level consistently and outpace any internal challenges or changes.
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Self-Regulation
Putting it simply, understanding the self (self-awareness) and understanding others (empathy) enables leaders to adjust their judgements and thus their behaviour. Self-regulation involves taking a moment to reflect before acting, enabling leaders to act with greater conviction and lead with confidence.
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Safety
The best leaders create security for their teams via the environment and culture. The safer people feel, the more likely they are to take risks, step up, absorb greater responsibility and fulfil their true potential. A leader that can spot and cultivate potential in a human territory is setting the business up for success in the long term and building a resilient and motivated team.
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Bias
The human territory involves going beyond just recognising but avoiding bias completely when making decisions and developing culture. Making a biased decision, by definition, means to decide using flawed evidence: an assumption that may or may not be true. Questioning bias in decision-making, team growth and culture development fosters a positive environment and pays tribute to the human condition itself. Using bias as a tool for education and understanding reduces risk and builds trust – two hallmarks of a thriving human-centric business.
As we have seen, changes in the labour market and society have implications for the way we structure organisations and treat employees. The people of Workforce2035 want humanness.
Next in this series: Innovative Worlds and their Implications on the Future Workforce