You just lost the best
person on your team- the champion who was most equipped with knowledge, skill
and resultant capability to close a deal in one of the complicated
business units at your organization. So what way did that impact
your competency as an organization. Does individual competency affect the
overall organizational competency. Does one person carrying away vital
capability make any difference to your organization.
We often hear - organization is bigger than individuals. Yes that's true and it is also true that the whole is greater than the sum of parts when it comes to the organization and its employees capabilities. However the caution for leaders is to understand that even when you deduct something the same logic holds true. When a specific capability (embodied in the individual) leaves the decrease is also greater than just one persons capability going away. You can't have a one sided equation can you?
Here are three aspects that can clarify.
a) An exit of any nature is like something which rocks the boat. Thought processes are triggered in the discerning minds of colleagues and coworkers as to what made him / her leave, should they follow and look for a better paying job... if he / she could get 30% more can't I get 40% more. This puts some pressure in the system that has a push effect. There is a drag on the agility vis a vis that cumulative capability that the individual contributed to.
b) There is bound to be some kind of imbalance in the target goal or objective at hand. It is like a relay - one person less to handle the baton - maybe you can replace the individual quickly , even before he's actually left , but what about the hours and hours of practice that went in before the final race. This applies even to work situations. So it has a slow down kind of impact or at least a temporary one till the capability evens out.
c) Replacement cost, effort and time to speed for building the same capability means someone has to take time out to train or coach another person. Someone has a temporary diversion of focus towards something other than the goal at hand. Reduced focus means reduced capability. Can it be simpler.
In future posts we'll explore more of the fascinating aspects of competency both individual as well as organizational level. Other posts related to competency
Competencies: What?
What Capabilities? Change Management
Simple framework to Understand Competencies
We often hear - organization is bigger than individuals. Yes that's true and it is also true that the whole is greater than the sum of parts when it comes to the organization and its employees capabilities. However the caution for leaders is to understand that even when you deduct something the same logic holds true. When a specific capability (embodied in the individual) leaves the decrease is also greater than just one persons capability going away. You can't have a one sided equation can you?
Here are three aspects that can clarify.
a) An exit of any nature is like something which rocks the boat. Thought processes are triggered in the discerning minds of colleagues and coworkers as to what made him / her leave, should they follow and look for a better paying job... if he / she could get 30% more can't I get 40% more. This puts some pressure in the system that has a push effect. There is a drag on the agility vis a vis that cumulative capability that the individual contributed to.
b) There is bound to be some kind of imbalance in the target goal or objective at hand. It is like a relay - one person less to handle the baton - maybe you can replace the individual quickly , even before he's actually left , but what about the hours and hours of practice that went in before the final race. This applies even to work situations. So it has a slow down kind of impact or at least a temporary one till the capability evens out.
c) Replacement cost, effort and time to speed for building the same capability means someone has to take time out to train or coach another person. Someone has a temporary diversion of focus towards something other than the goal at hand. Reduced focus means reduced capability. Can it be simpler.
In future posts we'll explore more of the fascinating aspects of competency both individual as well as organizational level. Other posts related to competency
Competencies: What?
What Capabilities? Change Management
Simple framework to Understand Competencies
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