People and Profit: Not Even the Same Language

You say HR, I say "Processors."

You want to talk about "developing human resources" in a company?

We can't talk. We can't even begin to have a conversation. I'll tell you why: your HR isn't. It's just not about humans or resources, it's about pushing paper and filing and keeping track of benefits and numbers of people.

When you get your head wrapped around the idea that your employees' creative discretionary effort is the only thing that's going to act as a buffer between you and the grinding wheel of costs and competition in today's market, then we can talk about creating an HR department - a real one.

I suppose that you're going to have to hit the wall before you let go of your balance sheets and realize that your intangible assets are the only real assets you have. When that happens we can sit down and have a conversation about human resources and channeling them into continuous profit cycles.

Until then, don't talk to me.