★On People vs. Resources
This article here at http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/06/people_are_not_cogs.html got me all riled up about a topic that I often talk about: people vs. resources.
Let me clarify for all those in the room.
I am a person. I have a family. I have friends. I have feelings. I have emotions. I am a person.
If you talk to enough business people, you’ll find them magically talking about resources to staff projects, run projects, and complete projects. “Yeah, I think we’re looking at 3 resources for 6 months to get this running.” Kid me much?
A resource is a piece of paper. It is a computer. A pen. A paper clip.
See the difference?
People are not plug and play. Everyone is different. We should treat everyone that way. In fact, I hate the term “human resources.” It’s an oxymoron that’s demeaning, useless, and just needs to go away.
</rant>
