đŸ€Œ Global talent vs automation

A powerful analogy to help you optimize your business operations

Author

Jon Matzner
August 23, 2024

To run a successful company in 2024 and beyond


You’ve gotta be able to balance two crucial business elements:

Your pickup trucks


And your train tracks.

Let me explain


My buddy Ryan Hildebrandt over at OpsKings introduced me to this analogy, and it's so good that I had to dedicate an entire newsletter to unpacking it.

Here’s what I want you to do:

Think of global talent as big pickup trucks


Think of automation like train tracks


And think of work as moving dirt around.

Got it? Let's break it down.

The Pickup Truck (aka Global Talent)

Picture this: You've got a job that involves moving dirt, but you're not quite sure where you're going.

Maybe you'll hit snow, or ice, or steep hills.

Heck, you might not even know what kind of dirt you're moving yet!

In this scenario, you want a pickup truck (or a semi if you're feeling fancy).

Why?

Because they're agile, adaptable, and ready for anything.

That's your global talent right there.

They're perfect when you need flexibility and the ability to pivot at a moment's notice.

The Train Tracks (aka Automation)

Now, let's flip the script.

Imagine you're moving 100 tons of the exact same dirt to the exact same place.

Every. Single. Day.

In this case, it makes a whole lotta sense to invest in laying down some train tracks.

Sure, it's a bigger upfront cost, but man, the cost per ton is WAY lower once you've got those tracks in place.

That's automation for you.

It's ideal for those high-volume, repetitive tasks where you know exactly what you're doing and where you're going.

The Secret Sauce: Blending Trucks and Trains

Here's where it gets really interesting.

Think about a high-performance mining operation.

They've got train tracks coming in and out, sure.

But guess what?

They've still got a ton of trucks buzzing around too.

Why?

Because even in the most optimized operations, there will always be tasks where it just doesn't make sense to lay down tracks.

Maybe it's too steep, or the material is too tricky to handle, or you just need a backup plan.

And that, my friends, is the key to running a kickass operation:

You need both your pickup trucks (global talent) and your train tracks (automation).

So, What Does This Mean for Your Business?

It's simple:

  1. Pinpoint where you need flexibility and adaptability. That's where your global talent shines.

  2. Spot those repetitive, high-volume tasks. That's where you should be looking to automate.

  3. Don't be afraid to use both! The best operations have a healthy mix of both approaches.

Now, I know what you're thinking. “Jon, this sounds great, but how do I actually implement this?”

Well, that's where Sagan Passport comes in.

See, we didn't just wake up one day and decide to start a global talent service.

We've been in the thick of it, recruiting international superstars and fine-tuning operations for years.

We've stumbled, we've learned, and we've packaged all those hard-won insights into one solution.

When you hop on board with Sagan Passport, you're getting:

  • Top-notch global talent headhunting (for all your “pickup truck” needs 😉)

  • A goldmine of proven processes + SOPs for integrating your global talent

  • A vibrant online community and expert sessions for both you & your international team

  • 
And a whole lot more

Ready to turbocharge your business with our killer combo of global talent sourcing and elite support through the entire process?

And let’s work together to pair you with top-tier talent while saving you 80% on your current hires.

Yallah Habibi,

Jon

Passage of the Week:

“What focus means is saying no to something that you—with every bone in your body—think is a phenomenal idea, and you wake up thinking about it, but you say no to it because you’re focusing on something else.”