A few years ago, Erin had one of those “a-ha” moments. One of those where something hits you just right. She was playing cards (not very well), when she realized she was playing not to lose, rather than playing to win. (You can read the full story about Erin’s card game insights here.)
It suddenly ‘clicked’ that we frequently see this kind of thinking (and behaving) in business. Businesses think they are playing to win, when in fact, they are playing not to lose … especially when it comes to their HR and people practices.
To understand the business evolution of moving from playing not to lose to playing to win, imagine your company on a continuum. On the far-left side is ‘playing NOT to lose’. On the far right is ‘playing to WIN.’ In your organization, every step (or decision) should build on the previous one and move your business closer to playing to WIN.
Steps to ‘playing to WIN’
Step 1: Playing NOT to lose
Some business leaders we meet feel like HR is a necessary evil. It’s needed to meet the legal and compliance requirements and protect the business. To be clear, we agree that compliance is important. However, if compliance is the sole or primary HR focus, you’re not fully leveraging the capabilities within your business.
Answering the call for your HR questions and issues.People Spark Consulting
Step 2: Beginning to understand
Other business leaders understand that HR plays a key role in ensuring employees receive their pay and benefits. Obviously, this is a critical role for HR because it ensures the business retains its employees.
Step 3: Following best practices
Some businesses recognize the importance of having key human resources processes and practices, like interviewing guidelines, new hire checklists, and performance management processes. YES! These practices and processes provide direction and consistency for employees.
At this point along the continuum, business leaders see such practices as purely HR-related—the information is owned by HR, with the HR team communicating about and overseeing all aspects of the processes. Managers tend to consider such procedures and paperwork as ‘check-the-box’ activities that they’re obliged to complete, even if they don’t want to.
Step 4: Embracing HR’s expertise
HR is seen as the “subject matter expert” to align employee behaviors to the goals and objectives of the business and to engage and retain employees. As the in-house experts, the HR team develops processes and best practices for the business. At this point along the continuum, HR is recognized as bringing the expertise, while the business leaders communicate the importance of the process and ensure they’re completed.
Step 5: Playing to WIN
Here at the far-right side of the continuum, businesses are playing to WIN. They understand that human resources are a key aspect of the business strategy. As subject matter experts, HR is proactively involved in the business strategy and planning processes.
When businesses deliberately and strategically involve HR in their decision-making, they naturally start prioritizing people practices—and move ever closer to the ‘win’ end of the continuum.
As Erin noted after having her card-game insight, playing to win isn’t terribly complicated. Which begs the question: As a leader, are you playing not to lose or are you playing to win?
