What I Wish Every Business Leader Knew About People

I started my full time (out of college!) HR career in 2002.  After more than 20 years working in HR, I've learned that most business challenges eventually come back to people.

You can have a great strategy, you can have amazing systems, you can have an excellent product or service.

But if you don't have the right people, leadership and culture to execute your strategy, success becomes much harder.

Over the years, I've learned a few things I wish every business leader knew.

1. People problems rarely fix themselves

Leaders sometimes hope a difficult employee situation will improve on its own.  It usually doesn’t.

The longer a performance, behavior or leadership issue goes unaddressed, the more complicated it becomes.

Good leadership requires having the courage to address problems early.

2. Your managers have more influence than you may realize

Employees don't experience an organization through the CEO's office, they experience it through their direct manager.

How that manager communicates, provides feedback, recognizes contributions, handles conflict and sets expectations has an enormous impact on the employee experience.

That's why developing strong managers is one of the best investments an organization can make for retention, performance and engagement.

3. High performers need development too

It's easy to focus development efforts on employees who are struggling, but your strongest employees need development as well.

If you want to retain your best people, give them opportunities to learn, grow and take on greater responsibility, don't wait until they're ready to leave before you start thinking about their future.

4. HR shouldn't only be involved when there's a problem

One of the biggest misconceptions about HR is that its primary purpose is to manage employee problems. 

A competent HR function should be proactive, helping leaders think about talent, organizational structure, leadership development, performance, workforce needs and business growth before those issues become problems.

5. Consistency matters

Employees don't expect every situation to be identical, but they do expect decisions to be fair and understandable.

Inconsistent management practices can quickly create frustration, distrust and disengagement.  In addition to potentially creating liability issues.

Clear expectations and consistent leadership practices go a long way.

6. Business strategy and people strategy are connected

If your business wants to grow, your people strategy needs to grow with it.

If you're expanding into new markets, changing your organizational structure, introducing new technology or preparing for succession, the people strategy needs to be aligned.

The question shouldn't be:

"What's our HR plan?"

It should be:

"What people capabilities do we need to achieve our business goals?"

7. Sometimes leaders just need an experienced perspective

I've spent my career working across the entire employee life cycle and partnering with all levels of leadership on a wide range of HR challenges.  You know what?  There isn't always one perfect answer.

Sometimes what leaders need is someone who can step back, ask the right questions, provide an objective perspective and help them determine the best path forward.

My biggest lesson

After 20+ years in HR, perhaps the biggest lesson I've learned is this:

People aren't a separate part of the business strategy. They are the strategy.

The organizations that understand that—and invest in their leaders, talent and people practices—put themselves in a much stronger position to succeed.

Disclaimer: The information and opinions expressed in this blog are for general informational and educational purposes only and represent the personal opinions and perspectives of KSL HR Consulting. They are not intended to constitute legal, tax, financial, or other professional advice, and they do not create an attorney-client or other professional relationship. Employment laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction and individual circumstances. Readers should consult with qualified legal or other appropriate professionals for advice specific to their situation. KSL HR Consulting makes no guarantees regarding the outcome of any action taken based on the information provided in this blog.