@Zhana and @Mike, thanks for the comments. It’s nice to meet you.

@Sandy, It’s good to hear from you. One of my passions is creating a workplace that people don’t want to leave. I think that’s the only answer to some of the generational challenges. It can be very difficult to properly reward someone for giving their best hours of their best days to a company. I think you’re niece’s (and my children’s) generation is simply reacting to the truth of what has happened to our generation with our valueless 401k’s and the frequency of layoffs. Good points.

@Mark, It’s nice to meet you. I agree; if we work together, we create synergy and find opportunities to help each other out. Working apart creates opportunities only for failure.

This reminds me of a lot of the collaboration thoughts where we are trying to work ‘together’ to get things done. In this case, the leaders of a team and the team members working together, helping each other, to get great things done.

Thanks.
Mark

@mikemyatt

This article really hits home with me. We’ve been talking to our niece about employee loyalty and what company’s expect and what they get from the younger generation.

My father’s generation expected to work for the same company for their whole careers. My niece’s generation will bail out for any reason and go to the next company. They have no loyalty at all. Somewhere in between is my generation, still struggling with what we owe an employer and what they owe us. “Look what they make us give” is really instructive. I need to find this book and look at the other message too. spw

Susan – I do think business people automatically flow with the times and currently expect employees to automatically give more. I had a conversation yesterday related to this idea that will become another post soon. I’m afraid it’s too easy to join in the tug-of-war rather than choose not to.

Ron – Thanks for the kind words. The post was my wife’s idea. I was too busy watching the movies to make the connection. However, it does always seem to take a leader to act in the organization’s best interests rather than just doing what’s easy.

Jim – I remain amazed at the number of supposedly intelligent people that fail to understand that the best thing they can do for their revenue and share price is invest in their people. Thanks for your insight.

I could have been shocked, but at least he was telling the truth. A sad truth, but the truth still. As leaders, if we aren’t focused in expanding the capabilities of our team and growing them, then what’s the use?

Not only do leaders have to “dream of helping others,” they have to place those dreams into action and begin mentoring those they manage, support those in their community and most importantly, within the walls of their own homes.

If those you lead see you engaging and putting forth your best effort on their behalf, you’ll answer many of the questions in your post by providing a path that’s in their best interest.

Reading between the lines, I think we share a trait of watching movies and finding key truths of leadership embedded within them. In this case the question you reference, a very good one. I must admit I missed it in watching the Bourne series and reading the Ludlum books years back. Great job identifying this excellent thoughtful question.

There is no doubt that businesses have lost their sense of what they ask their employees to give. Hidden within the utilitarian ethical stance of taking care of the business and the majority of employees at the expense of the few who are let go, I believe we have not asked this question enough.

Have we really done everything necessary to help organizations survive hard times. Have we truly led organizations and stewarded them well so that when the economy turns we are not forced to ask employees to give that much more.

For me this is what leadership is about. Leading for the future even when it is easy to simply enjoy the present. Leaders have a responsibility to those who grant them their leadership to do so with excellence and never take it for granted, never abuse the trust, never coast, never hide behind excuses when the economy turns…

Do you think the current economic situation has made the tendency to make it even less likely for leaders to consider the question “what do we make our employees give?” Are employees more likely to compromise how they want to be treated because they are in fear of losing their jobs?

I think companies can get away with a lot in the short term because of the pervasive fear. Although I believe the ones that will thrive as things turn, and perhaps even the ones who will take the lead in turning things around will be the ones that consider the needs and dreams of their people.

Thanks for a though provoking post. Love your taste in movies! And the book looks worthwhile, too.