In today’s competitive and fast paced world, our most precious assets are our people, our relationships and our time. Most executives and professionals are familiar with W. Edwards Deming’s concept of optimization and fine tuning a system to achieve the optimum output and results.
Few people apply the concept of optimization to their lives, people strategies, systems, policies, procedures, marketing and management practices.
Leading a team of people in today’s highly competitive, technologically sophisticated and connected world is very different from the command and control style prevalent in the preceding centuries.
Intangible assets such as people, know-how, systems and intellectual property are valued at many times more than tangible assets. Traditional management training and methods are severely lacking in “people knowledge” and an understanding of a world that is more and more intangible.
A new style of leadership is required for the new paradigm economy of today and the future.
Leadership Advocate and Co-Founder of the Goldzone Group. I help leaders to master the new rules of leadership for the new economy. Over the past 30 years, I have visited more than 500 cities in 54 countries to explore, learn from, and help many of the world’s leading companies, leaders, and luminaries in science, technology, health, finance, and entrepreneurship.
Fiona.
Great article – people are the heart and soul of a business not the items the business owns.
Rowena Neale
I love this article and it is very clear that people are our most valuable asset, people provide the creativity that drives evolution, change and leverage – then why don’t the banks and accounts reflect this? It seems to me a dicotomy of the old ways not catching up with the new era – some things are sooo slow!
Christopher Neale
How quickly is this forgotten when times are challenging…..
Joyce
Especially at this time of financial crisis… when the financial systems are being challenged…. the teams that are most aligned, most positive, most creative and most optimistic… are the teams that are going to make it!
Diana
I absolutely agree a new style of leadership is required for a fast changing economy that adapts quickly to change, empowers leaders on their team, and leads through their actions. Many organizations talk about people being their most valuable assets, however often it isn’t practiced. With the value of the future in intellectual property leaders will need to capitalize on their human assets and put into action what they have been saying.
Adrian Borgeest
This is a thought provoking article and enables me to consider a better way to lead…