THE ULTIMATE BUSINESS DILEMMA

Which will it be?
People or productivity?
Command and control or coaching and development?
There are a thousand ways to word that choice and as many instruments to measure it.

The Amazon news of being a harsh culture brings this to the fore again.
When will we give up the dichotomy?

High demand can be exhilarating and exciting or tiring and not sustainable.
Competing with co-workers can be fun and motivating or lethally divisive.
Pushing for improvement every moment can be satisfying or ridiculous
Talking straight can be enlightening and supportive or brutal and defeating
Constant challenge with no pause to reflect or learn can become boringly heavy
Living in fear can motivate, but it is survival behavior kills the x factor of team.

Tough challenges take support of people facing them.
Heavy pressure needs the relief of lightness and humor
Long hours calls for balance of renewal time
Rating people has to involve fairness and, yes, a process. No popularity contest.

Do not even pose the question of which matters most--people or results.
Ask, How can people thrive in a high demand challenging environment?
Then answer that question.
It can be answered.