Achieved Strategies

“I become steadily more persuaded that perhaps the greatest disparity between reality and managerial perceptions is an underestimation of the potentialities of human beings for contribution to organizational effectiveness.” Douglas McGregor

When it comes to work, some of you would be hard pressed to think of it as a community. And probably for good reason.

Yet, when you look at a Google definition of community, there are many striking resemblance’s to the workplace:

A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Gallup research shows that we spend ⅓ of our living years working. The people you see daily are part of your community. Toss in social technologies and community is online, too.

Leaders in the 21st Century , I like to call us New Era Leaders, need to understand or even tap into this important human need: people crave a sense of belonging.

Our need to belong to communities helps motivate us do good work.

• If we can see ourselves in the communities in which we interact, our sense of belonging can create positive feelings towards the work.

• Enthusiasm for work relationships is vital for addressing complex, even wicked problems that require creative or strategic thinking.

• Creating “moments” and opportunities that bring people together to shape and grow the community fulfills aspects of our basic human nature: to interact, socialize, create/invent, explore. 

The McGregor quote signals an important point for New Era Leaders: we can no longer lead or interact with employees as though they arrive to work solely to contribute a “hard days work” in exchange for wages.  Today employees want more for their wages. Fostering community is one important leadership act to help employees pull meaning from work, connect and collaborate, perhaps even change the world.

Photo used courtesy of Zanthia