Managing People Starts with Knowing Them

To begin with, I increasingly dislike the term “managing people”; it sounds far too impersonal, as though it objectified human beings. We need to start changing our language in order to change reality. That said, let us get to the heart of the matter. I cannot manage—or rather, relate appropriately within the organisation to—someone I do not know. Every employee, every person is a world unto themselves, with their own preferences, motivations and weaknesses, and only when the organisation’s strategy involves understanding these differences will it be able to make the most of each of its members. Knowledge is not a static phenomenon; on the contrary, it involves evolution and constant change, as every individual evolves, whether through internal stimuli (new preferences, maturity, lived experiences) or external stimuli (training, relationships with colleagues, the organisation’s own evolution, which affects the employee). Therefore, getting closer to the employee, to the person, is not a one-off occurrence, but an ongoing state. Knowledge leads to the effectiveness not only of the employee, but also of management. Management is effective when it is able to find the right role for each employee. There are no bad employees, only poorly chosen roles. The great diversity of people requires a genuine effort from the organisation in terms of micro-segmentation, individually managed retention, job analysis and the integration of difference. Everyone is different, but the goal is shared, and diversity is an asset.