Some businesses and business managers view Operations

Some businesses and business managers view Operations (the functions and people who produce revenue) as better than every one else. Some firms recognize the critical and complementary role played by those not directly involved in Operations. For most of my life, I worked in Operations, and it still influences my thinking. I always want to know the impact a decision will have on the operations and operators of the business. I make sure that our solutions at FireStarter Speaking and Consultingare focused this way.

Most of the leaders we work with are operators. Unfortunately, some of them don’t have a high opinion of non-operators, also called functional staff. This would include the departments of Accounting, Human Resources, Equipment, IT, Marketing, and Sales. There may be others; you get the idea

In my experience, I’ve seen two types of functional staff people: administrative and operational. Let’s look at Human Resources. The administrative HR person is well-versed in the rules and regulations of the business. They understand employment law and benefits. They do what they are asked to do and may not step too far outside their box and the business can’t live without them. Operational HR workers are focused on keeping the company moving and growing. They want to improve the business, so they make decisions with an eye toward the future. Operational HR folks may show up in the field or on the shop floor at any time, working to build relationships with Operations personnel. In the short term, a business can live without them.