![[Have you ever walked into an office where everyone was busy... yet something didn't feel quite right?]I've experienced ...](https://img4.businesses10.com/208/057/1700517282080574.jpg)
14/08/2026
[Have you ever walked into an office where everyone was busy... yet something didn't feel quite right?]
I've experienced that more than once.
One of the more memorable occasions was with a client in the recycling and waste collection industry.
Everyone was doing their jobs. But when I asked some of the staff why they were doing certain things, many could only tell me that it was what the boss had instructed them to do.
They knew the task.
They didn't necessarily understand the purpose.
So I proposed something different. Instead of simply looking at their qualifications and job scopes, I interviewed all nine employees again, this time from a behavioural perspective.
The findings were revealing.
Some people who were naturally outgoing were spending most of their time behind a desk, while others who preferred structure and analysis were in roles that required constant interaction.
So we redesigned several roles around their strengths.
The result?
The office became more productive. Some of those who naturally enjoyed engaging with people began contributing to campaigns, sales and partnerships — and started finding more meaning in what they were doing.
Some time later, I encountered a similar issue with an accounting firm.
The founder was struggling to retain fresh graduates.
When I found out that their days were largely spent scanning receipts and entering data, I asked him:
"If you were in their shoes, would you look forward to coming to work every morning?"
He thought about it.
Then came the inevitable response:
"But that work still needs to be done."
Yes.
It does.
But perhaps not necessarily by people who hope to build a career in accounting.
That conversation reminded me of something from [Sun Tzu's Art of War].
Among the Five Factors is [The General (將)].
A General's responsibility isn't simply to give orders. It is to understand his people, recognise their strengths and give them something worth fighting for.
Perhaps business leaders should ask themselves the same question:
[Are my people simply working for the company... or do they see a future worth growing with it?]
Sometimes, the problem isn't the people.
Sometimes, we simply haven't given them a reason to care.
Read the full story on the Dalmatian blog.
