Engaging people behind the organization's core purpose is a if not the key role of leadership. Yet, the recession pulls against engagement massively. I'll post tomorrow on the six ways the recession undermines your 'people engagement' work.

The authors of The Harvard Service Profit Chain, Sasser & Hesketh, with their co-author Joe Wheeler of The Service Profit Chain Institute, have just published The Ownership Quotient: Putting The Service Profit Chain to Work for Unbeatable Competitive Advantage.

The authors argue that the next level for putting the chain into practice is to focus on giving people ownership of their jobs. Their new acronym to add to IQ and EQ (Emotional Quotient - Daniel Goleman's phrase for measuring Emotional Intelligence) is OQ - the Ownership Quotient. To what extent do people feel they 'own' their job?

I am absolutely sure they are right. And this is particularly compelling in a downturn, where people feel external forces are out of their control and they need, more than ever, a strong sense of control at work to keep them engaged and confident.

A timely book.

Labels: Harvard Service Profit Chain, Hesketh, Joe Wheeler, OQ, Ownership Qiotient, Sasser