I cringe every time I hear it.
After 50 years of backing entrepreneurs, I’ve learned that companies who call their people “capital” treat them like expense line items.
But here’s what the best leaders do differently:
They call the customer service rep by name when walking the floor.
They ask the junior developer her opinion on the product roadmap.
They tell the office manager exactly how his work impacts company success.
The language reveals everything. “Human capital” creates distance. Names create connection.
The best companies I’ve invested in? Their people know exactly how their work matters. Not because of some company-wide email, but because their leader took five minutes to explain it personally.
Stop managing “human capital.” Start leading human beings.
What would happen if you treated every employee like a stakeholder instead of a line item?
Dave : Great insights on the importance of the “ Human Connection “ and what it takes to lead – especially with the increasing presence of AI in the work place.
Here is a case where academic concepts/jargon has been taught to managers only to send them astray. While human capital may quite legitimate as a research construct, it is dehumanizing when managing people.