Human Well-being Strategic Vision, from Bernadette Petitpas
The pandemic that we have been experiencing for several months, the imperatives of teleworking and this new reality that we would like to see become more "normal" urges us to rethink our priorities. Companies are choosing to adopt a vision and a strategy that puts people at the centre of their concerns, whether they are customers, suppliers, employees or partners.
Knowing where we are going and how to get there, responding to a certain need for meaning and respect for the individual, are also among the concerns that are becoming increasingly important.
Admittedly, this is a beautiful principle. To come back to the human, to humanity, to the needs of each one and to the relationships that we all need so much, we who are social beings.
It is a beautiful openness to others to consider the individuals with whom we are professionally in contact as people, like us, before being representatives of an organization. And when we focus on the human in the exercise of leadership, the underlying meaning changes. For example, we expect a greater involvement from each employee, or even their participation in decision-making. In doing so, we are moving away from control to a certain form of democracy, in the primary sense of the term.
On the other hand, one could also see it in a much less positive light.... After all, there has to be a hierarchy for there to be some form of organization. This is true in mammals and in all the great civilizations that preceded them. There is this notion that some individuals take care of others, and while all are equal, some are more equal than others. And then, strategy takes on more seriousness. Intuition and hugs are all well and good, but we need rigor, figures and analysis. One must be careful about efficiency, even if sometimes good intentions in these matters lead to control in its less glorious aspects. Especially since our world is not just complicated, it is complex. A bit like a three-dimensional module that keeps remodelling itself. So, what can we say about people who would have the audacity, or even the temerity, to raise issues, and who are then considered troublemakers? Imagine if you had to question everything and waste precious time reinventing the wheel?
What if it was possible to reconcile perspectives and use them to succeed, no matter how success is defined by the organization?
To do so, we would have to go back to the grassroots, to what is at the heart of the company and its vision. It's about clarifying the why, the what and the how. Because how can we rally all the organization's vital forces if its vision is not clear? And in order to perform, the means used must be consistent. And when everyone puts people at the heart of their decisions, everyone can find satisfaction in making a difference. Collaboration and teamwork are valued, which contributes to greater efficiency, creativity and even innovation because of the multiplicity of perspectives. When in addition, the client benefits from a better-quality product or service AND a truly customer-centric approach, it is likely to facilitate customer loyalty. What about leadership in all this? It is exercised a little differently, not always by the same people, depending on the needs. Its definition can also be broadened, and leaders come from all generations, all walks of life, to allow the organization to benefit from a multidimensional perspective.