The Force Multiplier

In military parlance, a force multiplier refers to a factor or a combination of factors that gives personnel the ability to accomplish greater feats than without it. The expected size increase required to have the same effect without that advantage is the multiplication factor. For example, a rapid-fire assault weapon is a multiplying factor in a gun battle, providing the upper hand.

Spending time working with human capital partners with domain expertise and having deep relationships with outside talent is critical to your success. According to Forbes.com, “every business needs force multipliers to survive.” In other words, businesses and leaders should spend valuable time on those activities that will bring about the greatest advantages and be the force multiplier.

When it comes to business, what can you leverage to increase the effectiveness of your employees? What combination of factors will lead to increased efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace? To increase the ROI by a factor of ten, do you need to add ten times the workforce? Or can you utilize what you already possess to increase the likelihood of success?

Effectiveness in your business boils down to how you leverage the human capital in your organization, which in terms, is the force multiplier. As you evaluate your business and how you can improve its ROI, ask yourself several important questions:

1. Do employees have the appropriate skill sets to be effective in their roles?
2. Is there any area where employees are lacking and could use professional and/or technical development?
3. Do we have the right people in the right roles?
4. What is the culture of the company like? Does it encourage employee advancement, input, and feedback?
5. Do team members have the opportunity to participate in decision-making and strategy?

The company’s culture plays a very significant role in the efficiency and effectiveness of its greatest asset: human capital. If the culture is flawed or is rigid and unsupportive, employees will be more unlikely to be productive. An unappealing corporate culture also makes the hiring process more difficult as potential candidates will be less inclined to work for a culture that does not support their needs.

Unfortunately, many organizations have lost sight of the need and value of trained, experienced employees. You may have heard the saying, “a company is only as good as its employees.” How true it is! Many leaders have overlooked the fact that employees can make or break a company. As much as loyal, dedicated, productive employees serve as a multiplier for a company’s revenue-earning potential, they also can destroy its reputation, brand, and value in multiples just as easily.

In working with executives over many years, I have come to understand that any company’s greatest asset is its employees. For organizations to scale, revenue to increase, and profits to soar, leadership must invest in the hiring and retention processes.

How are you utilizing the talent and skillsets that your employees bring to the table to increase your ROI? Developing those skill sets with your employees and utilizing a human capital firm to acquire the needed talent outside your organization is critical to your business’ success.