In the results of our recent research, there is something that all leaders have in common. They all share the same need and desire to transfer responsibility and ownership over solving people’s problems to someone else.
100% of the people we surveyed – founders, C-level management, owners, and executives – do not want to spend time on solving people-related issues and want to delegate this topic.
However, before we start drawing any hasty conclusions, it is also worth considering further data, according to which 100% of leaders also believe that people area is the core and one of the most crucial part of their businesses.
What conclusions can we draw from these figures and from our conversations with leaders? First, they do not want to relinquish responsibility for human problems just like that or out of lack of interest. It’s the opposite – they would rather put it in the hands of others precisely because they are aware of the importance of this area.
Solving people’s issues requires a huge amount of time and often also very specialized knowledge, which is also not the easiest to acquire. As leaders, they understand they cannot put the proper amount of effort into that.
Their philosophy behind the need to give away the ownership of the People area can be simplified to the following: it is crucial and thus must be taken care of professionally and thoroughly. “If I can’t devote as much time to these problems as is needed, I’d rather not deal with that at all,” they think.
However, being a leader naturally makes it impossible to give up all responsibility for the people. And here, another question arises – how to approach developing your skills in this field most effectively?
Our research shows that only 16% of our respondents consider the sources of knowledge, such as a newsletter, to be an adequate answer for expanding their competencies. What they seek is something quick and easy, without tons of theoretical background, which, even if interesting, does not speed up the process.
They need simple but not simplified solutions – well thought through, tailored to their organization and company culture context.
