Why Should I Work For You?

I am one chapter short of smoking and signing Mavericks at Work by William C. Taylor & Polly LaBarre.  Bill and Polly present insights and case studies on companies and people who are today, running the companies of tomorrow.

As I read about these present day mavericks who build on purpose and fuse character with innovation to make a difference for their employees and customers, I couldn't help but to think of a theme that the authors weave throughout their work:  Why should great people join your organization?

I work in an industry that is starved for technical people.  And I don't mean hungry, I mean Ethiopia.  As a manager who hires these folks, I myself need to be able to articulate this answer with crisp clearness (which I've never satisfactorily done).  In tune with some words I wrote the other day about working in transparency, I'd like to answer this question with a public statement about why folks should work with my team.  I probably will have to return and tweak this - which is the point.

Once we've established that a candidate fits our culture of:

• The need to develop personally
• Respect for each other and our customers
• Loyalty to each other
• The desire for excellence
• The desire to move forward

...then I can say with confidence:

You should work with my team because:  We are going to dial you into a world of learning, a world where we channel your strengths toward finding solutions for our customers...(in progress)

Comments

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Wow Dave, that sounds like QUITE a place to work, and working for you would be awesome. Too bad I can't commute from Milwaukee. Maybe some day...when I'm not happy with my job, and the Wisconsin weather, I might move by you.

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Dave, congratulations on having an 'enlightened' perspective - although I think that the characteristics you mention are the new standards for attracting the best employees, I prefer to call them partners because as we work together we are more like partners than fellow employees.

I think employers can really help create an exciting workplace that capitalizes on those characteristics by cultivating a culture of cooperation, collaboration, and connection - this defines a Workplace 3.0.

Congratulations!

[dave]

I suspect Phil, that if YOU were to leave your people, there'd be a mutiny...thanks for the kind words!

I'm in tune with your mindset Greg! I am very particular about the language I use in terms of my fellow partners. Thanks!