From the boardroom to the classroom, individuals are looking to improve their performance. Continuous improvement through processes such as Baldrige to Lean continue to make significant strides in the business world as solutions to improving the bottom line. Self-improvement is one of the fastest growing areas in most book stores. Everyone appears to be looking for that magic pill for how to improve their performance results or what we call success.
Recently when doing some research to improve the content of an article, I discovered the term "meritocracy." Even though I am fairly well read in American history, I had never seen this particular term. The original definition of meritocracy is not certain, but has its roots in Chapter Five of John Locke's Second Treatise on Government. Locke believed that the acquisition of wealth provided it was acquired through hard word and "it was to meet one's own immediate needs." (Source: Wikipedia) Meritoracy then became the way to build and therefore improve a society through a government based upon merit (demonstrated performance) and not by birth.
The essence to improve resides in the capacities of motivation, energy and talent. Our young country even with all of its faults has demonstrated the results of these 3 capacities by sending a man to the moon and returning him safely back to earth in just under 200 years. No other country or civilization has accomplished so much in such a similar time frame.
What does this mean for businesses or individuals seeking success?
If businesses or individuals want greater success, then the answer resides within the ability to improve motivation, improve the use of energy and to improve talent. In today's world, the answer can be translated into improving the desire (motivation), the opportunities for practice (energy) and new knowledge or skills (talent). Yet, when we analyze solutions designed to improve the performance of a business, an organization, a school or an individual, the emphasis is on talent or the hard skills with little focus to no focus on motivation or the soft skills.
Until the development of soft skills are partnered equally with the training of hard skills, the quest for success will continue to allude those who are trying to improve their performance. So success once again becomes a personal choice or as Wilt Chamberlain said:
If you have the ability in a certain area, why not capitalize on it and improve it and use it?
Leanne Hoagland-Smith quickly doubles results for her clients from individuals (small businesses owners, entrepreneurs and young people) to large organizations by creating executable strategic action plans along with the necessary business skills to pull it off. By closing the gap between today's unsatisfactory performance to tomorrow's goals, limited resources are maximized with waste including time being reduced. Please feel free to contact Leanne at 219.759.5601 or visit http://www.processspecialist.com/ and explore how she can help you.
Posted in Labels: HARD SKILLS AND SOFTSKILLS