For almost 30 years, I’ve been talking to clients about the coming labor shortage. Time and again, I’ve worked to encourage and motivate leaders with the truth that how we manage and engage people is critical to survival.
Even if you didn’t believe that 10 years ago, it was true then. But now, it’s true in a way that’s much harder to argue with or ignore. True in a way that’s sitting at your doorstep.
Actually, I hope it’s at your doorstep rather than running from your doorstep in droves. Because here’s what was announced yesterday:
The government has released statistics showing that in the United States,
- We now have 11 job openings for every 10 unemployed people,
- Employed people are quitting their jobs at an all-time high rate,
- Employers are letting people go at an all-time low rate.
Welcome to the beginning of a new era. An era where how you manage your people is not only more important than so-called “strategy” decisions (psst, it always has been – and it should be a major part of those strategy decisions), but it’s also
- More pressing for you
- Of more immediate concern to your organization as a whole
- Easier – perhaps easier than ever – to make a business case for
So what next? How about a little reading list to help exercise your thinking muscle on this topic? I’ll kick you off with 10 recommendations on where to begin:
- Toxic Leadership: Identify It, Remove It, Prevent It
- Catch Them Doing It Right: 3 Tips for Effective Encouragement
- Money Matters, aka Money Doesn’t Matter (Much)
- Overcompensate Your People
- Quick Thought: Beneath the Woody Exterior
- Not Ready Yet? I Beg to Differ.
- Blocking, Tackling, and the Long-Game Courage of Great Leaders
- Fear Kills Creativity: Leadership Lessons from Cavemen
- Is a Passive Leader an Oxymoron?
- Are You Blind to Your Biggest Source of Waste?
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