Cultural engagement is and always has been the one true advantage in business. Today, several things influence that dynamic...
Jonathan C Krause, Founder, Chairman, CEO, & Executive Leadership Coach of Synclarity Consulting: A Global Strategic Management Consulting Firm. Founded in 2018 to help startups, small businesses, and early-stage growth companies in education, finance, healthcare, and the life sciences support: Biotech, EdTech, MedTech, HealthTech, or Pharmaceutical corporations.
Cultural engagement is and always has been the one true advantage in business. Today, several things influence that dynamic—the environment, socio-economic, and geo-political factors. There is also a looming generational disconnect between how we got here and where we are going. What was done before, and what needs to happen now? Who is willing to lead everyone, and who will follow? This is about shaping the future and writing a new history driven by technology. As a country, we have to get this right.
I have said this before, and it bears repeating that the next global superpower is being formed; new alliances are being reshaped with new methodologies, philosophies, and precedents in the Digital Epoch. The country or group of nation-states that leverage technological alignment to connect, communicate, collaborate, map, bridge, and integrate will lead the world with new ideas and innovations for the foreseeable future.
In the US, we are divided on globally pervasive issues that make us collectively look weak. We must find common ground on issues such as the environment, economy, and wealth equity gap, and improve digital and health literacy, affordable healthcare, quality education, and affordable housing. These things are necessary to compete globally. We need an engaged and skilled workforce that refocuses on domestic manufacturing and is leveraged with technology, not just in technology but in skilled trades. This means older generations pass institutional knowledge and financial resources to entrusted emerging leaders.
This means creating an accelerated professional development and growth pathway for younger generations while increasing opportunities for more individuals to be gainfully employed. It is much less about historical best practices and identity politics and more about value creation, capture, delivery, new wealth creation, equity, and distribution to those working to move us all forward. This is about how we get better together, what future we create, and what we leave behind for future generations. This is about sustainable solutions with the best ideas we can find, money can buy, and people can effectively execute.
It is the shared equity of combining stakeholder capitalism and shareholder primacy that strengthens social bonds and networks to increase the country's communal, relational, and financial well-being by growing the GDP. People will care more about what you know if they know how much you care. As leaders, now is the time to talk less and listen more. “Seek to understand, then to be understood. Be more interested than interesting.” Listening is learning, and learning is leading as an individual; at any level, you can lead. But you have to sell yourself first and market yourself better. Sell better solutions, not your identity, but your:
Ability: The technical skill and expertise, expressed interest.
Competence: The necessary interpersonal soft skills, effective written and verbal communication skills, and relevant decision-making.
Ethics: Avoid conflicts of interest and align with organizational beliefs, ideals, and values.
When companies effectively use ability, competence, and ethics as a basic framework for assessing talent to support attracting, recruiting, and retaining talent in the future of business and work, they create better strategic alignment, tactical effectiveness, and operational efficiency, which implies accelerated growth with sustainable results.
To A.C.E., the future of business and work means accurately assessing talent to support, attract, recruit, and retain the best people to get the best ideas and solutions money can buy. That is the goal. Not to check a box or fill a quota, but to compete in a global economy and WIN the future of business and work. If you care what people look like or where they come from, you are mitigating your chances of success. As a leader, increasing cultural competence, awareness, and understanding that cognitive diversity harnesses the talents of the best of us to help lead the rest of us. Avoid vanity metrics and identity politics and focus on A.C.E. strategies for attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent.
Assessment: Evaluate the candidate's skills and proficiency in relevant areas. Measure ability using standardized testing, practical assessments, and real-world problem-solving scenarios.
Development: Implement continuous training programs to enhance employees' abilities. Provide resources and opportunities for upskilling and reskilling.
Performance Metrics: Establish clear, objective performance metrics to assess and ensure abilities are regularly aligned with business goals.
Competency Frameworks: Develop comprehensive competency frameworks that outline the key behaviors, knowledge, and skills required for each role.
Behavioral Interviews: Conduct behavioral interviews to gauge a candidate’s past performance and predict future job success.
Continuous Feedback: Foster a constant feedback and coaching culture to help employees develop competencies and achieve their full potential.
Ethical Standards: Define and communicate the company’s ethical standards and values. Ensure that these are integrated into the hiring process and organizational culture.
Ethical Assessment: Incorporate ethical scenario questions and assessments in the recruitment process to evaluate a candidate's decision-making and integrity.
Ethical Training: Provide ongoing ethics training and workshops to reinforce the importance of ethical behavior in the workplace.
Employer Branding: Build a strong employer brand that highlights the company’s commitment to ability, competence, and ethics.
Engaging Content: Use engaging content and social media to showcase the company’s culture, values, and opportunities for growth.
Strategic Partnerships: Partner with educational institutions and professional organizations to attract top talent.
Targeted Recruitment: Use data-driven strategies to identify and target candidates who align with the company's A.C.E. criteria.
Inclusive Hiring Practices: To ensure a diverse and competent workforce, implement inclusive hiring practices.
Efficient Processes: Streamline recruitment processes with technology to enhance candidate experience and reduce time-to-hire.
Career Development: Offer clear career development paths and opportunities for advancement to retain top talent.
Employee Engagement: Foster a positive work environment with initiatives that promote employee engagement and satisfaction.
Recognition and Rewards: Recognize and reward employees for their contributions, aligning with the company’s ethical standards and performance metrics.
By focusing more on Ability, Competence, and Ethics, businesses can create a robust framework for assessing, attracting, recruiting, and retaining top talent, ensuring a sustainable and competitive workforce for the future. We need more leaders to embrace change and deal with ambiguity and uncertainty. This requires learning to think, talk, and act in new ways.
It means we must unlearn old habits, relearn what works, and learn new methodologies to help set new precedents. This means more cultural competence and awareness that incorporates more cognitive diversity. This starts when you effectively leverage A.C.E Cultural Engagement Strategies, focusing on accountable business insights, decisions, and experiences (A.B.I.D.E.). What new ideals and beliefs are you willing to A.B.I.D.E. to accept and be guided by to win the future of business and work?
Learn more about Syncalrity Consulting LLC, or connect with Jonathan.
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