

Strategic Planning and Management Insights

Your workplace is a 5 layer dip - Here's how to make it delicious.

[fa icon="calendar"] July 13 / by Anthony Taylor

 You might wonder why your organization looks like a 5 layer dip. 
Is it because you have different levels of management?
Maybe it’s because you have a few flavours and tastes in your organization?
In this context it’s actually because you could have 5 different possible generations working in your workforce.
You might not have a teen and a 60 old working in the same functions, however it’s very possible that you have 20,30,40,50, 60 somethings working in the same environments and having to communicate and collaborate together.

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Would you lead to a 20 year old the same way you would a 60 year old? 
Does it make a difference if they are 30 or 40? Maybe not for you, and maybe not for the other people being led, but who really know’s what’s going on behind the scenes.
Something to consider is that you have an eclectic mix of ages, genders, cultures and backgrounds that are all coming together for one goal. 
You see, there are layers to this analogy. (pun intended)
Much like a cook needs to balance the flavours and ingredients to create the ideal desired outcome, you as a manager have an opportunity to season your people with training, leadership, compassion, listening, motivation, discipline so that you can create the outcome that you want.
Each ingredient, each person, each group requires something a little different to bring out the best flavours.
Ultimately, you have one goal: Make your dish a success.
I don’t have any specific “advice” to give you about how to manage different groups and what they need to be successful. That’s not what I’m here to do.
My objective is to get you to recognize that all your people have to collaborate and meld together in order for you as a manager or leader to be successful.
How do you make that happen?
Give them an opportunity to blend together and complement each other. Look for yourself to see what would work for your people to be able to add to one another.
Maybe it’s through socializing.
Maybe through knowledge sharing and reverse mentoring
Maybe you get them to collaborate on projects an initiatives?
Ultimately, you just want to bring out the best in each individual person.
If you think about it, they aren’t that different after all.
They all play their parts and want to be utilized in the best way possible. It’s up to you as a manager to figure out what that is as part of your strategy and how you can incorporateaa that while developing your culture.
 Have a conversation with your team to uncover how you can take advantage of the experience and backgrounds that everyone brings to the table.
When we talk about innovation, that’s how you create it: Taking things that exist now and combining them to create something new. To transform what was there and making it un-recognizable. Totally new. 
Where does it start?
It starts with a conversation about what you’re creating and why you want to create it. You’ll make work more engaging when people have the space to contribute to one another. And the experience will add to each individual person, and ultimately make the team greater.
Want more information on how to get your team together to start these new conversations? 
Contact us. We’ll see what’s cooking over where you’re at and if there’s anything you can add to make something new.
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Topics: Human Resources- HR, Business strategy, culture, organizational development

Anthony Taylor

Written by Anthony Taylor


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