A War for Talent Rant and When Life Throws You a Lemon…Duck!
October 16, 2008 by David Zinger
Filed under Business
Watch Out: I am turning sour and moving to action!
by David Zinger
I can’t be a slacker when I see what is currently going on in our economy and workplaces. I am getting angry and I am choosing to give my anger voice while channeling that energy into constructive action.
My background is in counselling psychology. I have taught educational psychology at the University of Manitoba for over 20 years, I was also a crisis counsellor, and I was the employee assistance counsellor and career development coach for Seagram Ltd. for 15 years.
My work has been devoted to creating authentic and caring connections with people to make the workplace a safe place that also produces organizational results that matter.
When the going gets tough…it really gets me going. This current economic upheaval really has me going…
I would love your responses to two of my posts from this week at www.davidzinger.com:
Make Love Not War: Stop the War for Talent Now! A personal rant against the War for Talent. I have always been troubled by the so called “war for talent.” Now, I am beyond troubled, I am angry with the use of this metaphor for those of us who offer our best in organizations…
and
Managing Economic Mayhem: When life throws you a lemon….duck! Eliminate Pollyanna positive thinking now. I never cared for statements such as, “when life throws you a lemon make lemonade.” When life throws me a lemon I duck. Then I get back up and figure out what to do. This is a time for authentic, and heartfelt leadership that is constructive not naive or blind. There may be a need for tough actions and behaviors that require a lot of courage and gumption on your part…
I feel for you (and others) stuck in the War/Love battle. I know first hand what it’s like – many of us are mere pawns (or serfs) in the war of doing business – and we are loosing!
As we speak, the CEOs of the bank-bail-out are plotting how to make money on this. One plan I have heard is the ‘due to the pressures placed on them to make a profit’ is to out-source as many jobs to India (over Americans). IMHO that would only add fuel to an already towering inferno!
Friends of mine have told me that my division is a big contributor in wasting people’s talent and education/training over other employees who are cronies of lesser stature. Why? POWER! One friend at work told me that our “upper management think that they are gods and can’t be touched!”
CK,
Ah the gods are human in organizations. You can remove yourself form the battle with love. This does not mean you roll over and die rather you see something much greater than a war or battle.
David
@David – I’m working on the ‘removal’ of self in the battle. But some, but not nearly enough, of the gods have fallen (karma). As I take a more humanistic approch, I DO have a few followers that are willing to lead them to greener pastures.
CK
Refreshing to have “greener” pastures rather than all the red that the economy has been bleeding.
David
Well, it’s pretty bloody where I’m at but my job is safe. Considering that they treat people link residents at Gitmo, when the economy turns there will be a HUGE brain-drain!
About half our people are contractors (because most employees can’t do their jobs or don’t have the skills) about 1/4 of the employees that ARE skilled are waiting for the econ to turn around so they can leave. Another 1/4 are waiting to retire. The remaining employees are worthless and LOVE their job because no one in their right mind would be willing to hire them anywhere else!
CK What a fantastic management opportunity for you not for the following but for the love of people.
I read the posts on your other site. Love in words in easy, love in action is tough. It really is a WAR but it is not OUT there, the fight for integrity and honesty is a matter of daily choices for us all. I would just like to mention self control as well – consider what you say and what you do. I personally find it quite exhausting honestly loving my family and my colleagues, the people I come into contact every day – and I do not always succeed. I refuse to belong to any organisation – on principle.
Corinne:
Good points about the internal war although I hope I don’t go to war with myself. I always loved Erich Fromm’s definition of the art of love. It requires discipline, concentration, and patience.
Thanks for the comments.
David
A book was recently recommended to me names “Dropping Almonds.” Anyone read this book? The local bookstores don’t seem to have a copy of it (yet) and I don’t like to buy books unseen on-line unless I can check it out at the local book store. Seems like I’ll have to have the local book store order it for me!