Reflection on today's class

Today in class we got into groups to talk about concepts included in chapter two. The two most prevalent topics we discussed in our group was teamwork and the rapid change that is taking place in the business world. It was interesting to hear what the rest of the group had to say about these two things. I think everyone has been in a situation where a teammate isn't pulling their weight, so understanding how to approach slacking teammates is important. We didn't get too into it because it was said by Jon that we would cover it more thoroughly in the future.

I think the most interesting part of the class today was when we watched the movie clip about Pikes fish market. This clip went over a little bit of the history of the business and showed how the value of human capital made a difference in their success.

The owner's perception of his employees when he began his business was that they were just objects and manpower to accomplish tasks. He watched over them closely and did not empower them or value them as he should have. It was interesting to see this man's testimonial about how his mindset had to change. He realized, with the help of the HR guy in the clip, that his employees and business would only thrive and be sustained through a positive and trusting culture where the employees are empowered and respected.

This success story shows how important human capital is and how principles of human resources can be applied to real life situations. I hope to visit Seattle someday so I can see the flying fish at Pikes!