Surveys, polls and the like are nice, quick and easy tools to use, especially when they can be crafted to elicit responses one is looking for. Companies, governments, research folk and the like, seem to love using surveys, polls, modelling and so forth because they can be made to produce faster results, “conclusions” and they can be used to produce a whole range of “solutions”.

I read in various places that the hiring outlook in Singapore is good, up by 11% from the year 2011. The usual lament accompanying that positive-sounding report was that good help remains so hard to find. That will remain so, until we decide to stop treating our people in a similar way to how Forrest Gump was treated and start getting our people to imitate some of the characteristics and abilities of the octopus. Get them to become “Octopers” or “Octopersons”, so to speak.

Isn’t that obvious? The octopus blends in very well with its surroundings, is able to get in and out of very tight spots, has incredible strength and flexibility, learns new skills really quickly and seems to have no trouble at all in bringing home the bacon. Well, crabs, shellfish and so forth, you know what I mean. An “Octoperson” would be really neat if what you want is to make your company really strong.

There has been talk in Singapore about developing “T-shaped” professionals – meaning getting people to be Deep and Wide where skillsets are concerned. I like developing “Octopersons” better. How about you?