Rehumanizing

We're coming off of Independence Day—a time to think again about phrases like "liberty and justice for all" and “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

It's time once again to wonder how slavery was rationalized. And how my grandfather could be paid in scrip—only redeemable at the company store.

Many reading this won't remember a time—not so long ago—when the 'Human Resources' function was called 'Personnel'. The change was both ingenious and devastating. Organizational leaders would now be expected to manage the workforce just like any other resource.

But people are different entirely. And people stewardship must look different than the stewardship of cash, inventory, machinery, data or systems. While it's appropriate to think of stewarding nonhuman resources, with people it's better to think of stewarding influence.

When we begin to view people as property—as nothing but resources—we can so easily slip into a two-tiered humanity, reserving unalienable Rights to the wealthy and powerful.