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Nobody wants to be called “a resource”. You’re “an employee”. “A team member”. “Part of a rag tag crew“. But not “a resource”.
“Resource” brings the association of a cog in a machine. If you want to distance emotionally from people, it helps using a word like “resource”. It makes the relationship you have with a person, well, impersonal. Which can be one way of excluding your emotions.
Although, I think some people would be proud to be called “a resource”. It means they are an integral part of the Magnificent Machine. That piece of perfection without the emotional crap. “It’s business, for crying out loud!”
They are happy with the idea of a mechanical working of their universe. Hating the idea of the “we are all like Ants”-movement.
“Ants self-organize!” “Well, let them self-organize around my bug spray!”
I think I’m more of an anteater.
Hahaha. I am sure
Bas, I have a special passion to this post for many reasons.
First, I have published recently a presentation showing the intellectual value of employees in which I emphasized employees are not machines.
http://www.slideshare.net/hudali15/employee-bankruptcy-ratio
Second, we learn from ants a lot.Division of work, self-organizing and survival adaptability. Again, I have published recently a presentation on this topic
http://www.slideshare.net/hudali15/crafting-the-raft-lessons-for-managers
Third, we learnt from ants how to distribute work. Many hubs have been reorganized based on lessons learned from ants
Fourth, ants work with great engagement.
My answer to your question becomes evident, Bas.
These are excellent references, Ali! I have a hunch about your answer
WE may learn from ants and their industry and organization. Many managers would like us to emulate them in their mindless zeal to “get the job done” with no thought of personal lives or sense of self. There are no Arts in an anthill. No ballet, no galleries, no plays, no leisure and no vacations. In short, no humanity.
Hey Ray, great observation. So, ants don’t have a social life
Great post! Congratulations!
Please consider revising the typo in the first sentence: it should be “You’re” instead of “Your”.
Best regards,
Marcelo
Thanks! Fixed.
I think that it all has to do with the context of the language. As you say, referring to people in general as resources might be perceived as impersonal. Referring to an individual as a “real resource for the company” seems more likely to be viewed in a positive light.
Your right, context is everything. And really, everyone has different associations that can also be triggered by other experiences
“I hate the phrase “being on the same page”. Nothing wrong with the sentence itself. It’s me. My associations with it. I actually hear: “you need to agree with my point of view”.”
http://www.gantthead.com/blog/The-Project-Shrink/3881/
Project Managers are ants, so guess I aspire to be a good ant. However, I did not realize the negative reaction to the term “resource”. Thank you!
Ha! Ants rock
hmmm, an ants
funny :p . first time i heard about “resource” why my head going to nature. but come back again to context, i consider to understand why people wont be said to be resource, because if we use resource in office, its like were not admiring each other, IMHO.
I think you might be right
Resources are working time, knowledge, experience, etc. provided by people?