# General Business Category > Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum >  What works to motivate your staff?

## duncan drennan

> In respect of "labour don't give a damn already" - not a good sign. Part of the responsibility of the business leadership role is to motivate staff. We can't rely on staff being consistently self-motivated.


This came up in another thread, and I'd like to hear your ideas, so please post away!

Obviously different type of staff are motivated by different things, but how does one manage that effectively to get productive and compliant people? (read compliant as working towards the goals of the company)

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## Dave A

The simple act of greeting staff in the morning in a warm and welcoming way can go a long way. Asking after family. Remembering they were going away for the weekend and asking how it went. Wishing them well for an exam.

It's a bit of a fine line managing it into a short exchange. You don't want to get sucked into a half hour blow-by-blow.

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## duncan drennan

This always stuck in my mind from an article that I read on managing your creative staff - 

*Remove distractions*

In the context of the article they mean don't put a load of admin work on your best sales person, get them an assistant so they can do what they're best at. I've attached the article

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## Dave A

Great article. I think this bit applies to every business leader:


> SAS recognizes that 95% of its assets drive out the front gate every evening. Leaders consider it their job to bring them back the next morning.


As for the rest, I can really relate. I absolutely *hate* interruptions when I'm in creative mode.

My next tip is to know every staff member's name, and use it when talking to them. Don't just say "hello", say *"Hello {username}".* (And for guests visiting, you're just not going to get that personal touch unless you register).

I've heard it said that the sweetest sound for any person is to hear someone else saying their name.

My biggest challenge with this is that I'm really bad with names. I have to work very hard at it to get a new name stuck in my head. And even then I go blank sometimes.

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## duncan drennan

> My biggest challenge with this is that I'm really bad with names. I have to work very hard at it to get a new name stuck in my head. And even then I go blank sometimes.


I find what works for me is to say the person's name when I meet them - basically a form of active listening.

So the conversation would be, "Hi I'm Duncan", "Hi I'm Dave", "Nice to meet you *Dave*"

It helps me cement the name in just a little bit more.

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## Dave A

*You* set the mood.

Your mood is contagious. If you're down and depressed, it'll infect everyone else. If you're up and chipper, the mood will spread.

Have you ever walked into a room and everyone is feeling down? Notice that pretty soon you're feeling down too?

Be aware of it. Mood is contagious. And if you buck the flow, smile and be upbeat, pretty soon everyone else will be too.

Don't underestimate the power of a happy, supportive workplace environment.

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## Dave A

When something goes wrong, somebody made a mistake, what happens in your organisation?

Quite often there's a witch hunt to find who's to blame.

It is far better to focus on *what* went wrong rather than *who* went wrong. For a number of reasons.

The primary goals should be to fix the problem and prevent it happening again. 

The "need" to apportion blame is only relevant in preventing the problem from happening again. But it is more important to understand what went wrong in the first place. What you need now is for the folk who might have contributed to the mess to give all the information that they know, not desperately hide the evidence of their part in the fiasco.

This can only happen in a no-blame environment. 

I'm not saying ignore who made the mistake completely. Yes, you need to know and track who messed up when, and how often. But do it with cool wisdom, not out of emotional retribution.

It's a pretty good tactic to give people the opportunity to redeem themselves. They know they messed up - they'll try their best to make it right if given the opportunity. You don't even need to use guilt. People can be pretty hard on themselves....

Punishment brings with it a sense of absolution for the guilty party. "I messed up but it's OK now because I was punished". How does that help?

Rather "I messed up but I fixed the problem and more than made up for the mistake". They feel good and the organisation gets the problem solved. You'll probably have an improved employee as well.

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Newretailer (23-Aug-11)

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## duncan drennan

And on that note, some Dilbert,

http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilber...-20061007.html

http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilber...-20061009.html

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## Dave A

That's the worst  :EEK!:   "*Someone* must be blamed and anyone will do". Oh dear.

Whilst I can still cover some broad concepts on this, I think we need to open this up a bit. As in get specific. *Everyone* has got *something* that gets them going - and things that definitely don't!

For example, does competition turn you on or turn you off?
Have you been motivated by something different - out of the mainstream?
What *definitely* demotivates you?

C'mon *{username}*, what gets *you* going?

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## duncan drennan

> C'mon *{username}*, what gets *you* going?


I think sometimes it is easier to start with what does not motivate, and then work towards what does, I'll try to mention a few I've noticed in my few years of working.

Do nots
Micro and/or crisis management (as an general style)Money (yes to a certain point it does, beyond that other things become more important)Not being able to see potential in the futureLack of learning

Dos
Money (see above)Recognition (i.e. wow, you did a good job on that)Self-pride (I want to make sure I do things well, but that is all internal)Potential to learnHelps me reach my own personal goals

Just on this, what I did find interesting was how much my self-motivation declined the longer I worked under conditions that didn't offer me potential to further myself and head towards the goals that I was setting. I became distractable, and had to work hard to stay focussed.

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## Entity

LOL ok 1st things 1st Im Dominic  :Smile:  

Many things in a organisation help with motivation such as a CEO or MD of a company walking around talking to his fellow workers and to the people WAY under hime and learning there names or even finding out how the working conditions are. A good family orientated company also works well. If there are family emergency's then take leave dont have the stress of asking to go knowing there is a chance of rejection.

Some other motivational things that can be done is by have a scented smell in the office such as orange in the air blowing thro the air conditioning. This has proven results of a happier staff and higher productivity in the organization.

And last but not least is the whole BEE situation. Many people arnt working the way they used to as they are a walking target waiting to be let loose and replaced. Why not have the BEST of the BEST working in the organizations puting colour and race to one side. That is how a true proudly south african company should be run  :Smile:

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## Snoopy_inc

I think respect goes a long way and a "pat on the back" when they are working to their potential and go beyond what you normally expect from a normal staff member.

One tends to take advantage of them and not show them that you appriciate the effort they do.

later

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## Candy Bouwer

> C'mon Candy Bouwer, what gets you going?


Gee talk about pressure!! :Stick Out Tongue:  

 I think that Duncan has hit the nail on the head 


> Dos
> Money (see above)
> Recognition (i.e. wow, you did a good job on that)
> Self-pride (I want to make sure I do things well, but that is all internal)
> Potential to learn
> Helps me reach my own personal goals


These are all very important in anyone book. 
I am motivated by a need to be all that I can be... for me...for my family and funnily enough this has only hit me later in life...don't know if is had something to to do with upbringing /or what...not that life was handed to me on a platter ,anyway something just kicked in a couple of years age and who would of thought that I would be studying now at this time of my life. 

De-motivation comes in all shapes and forms eg ...a simple thing like a missed greeting from the boss or even something major like a door or telephone slammed down in ones ear can be earth shattering at the time.... however the ability to shake off the negative, look up and smile when things are rough ...is an art! This comes with experience (and boy have I learned the hard way) unfortunately, and is very important particularly if you are a participant in the sales game. 

Sales People are sometime unjustly "accused" of having a very hard exterior ...unfortunaly we need to be the "proverbial Duck" and shake the "water" off from time to time :Hmmm:  ...but just below the surface we feel just like everyone else but need to be able to face a new client or a new day with a bright happy face.

I know encouragement and acknowledgment to a person in sales is vital and definitely goes a long way ...be it for a simple pat on the back or a financial reward... Anyone who want the best from their sales people need to step out of their own boxes from time to time and give credit where credit is Due. 

Watch your businesses boom!! :Smile:

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## lynette

I would mostly agree with the "respect" aspect. I can only be loyal to somebody if I have respect and trust for that person, to be able to discuss matters if I don't agree with it in a civil manner and be heard. Of course, there should always be the that fine line between "boss" and "worker". It is very difficult when you perhaps disagree about something that you feel strongly about and don't know what the outcome will be if you try and discuss it. I am basically alone in a office most of the time, only see my boss maybe once a month, and I definately need a lot of self dicipline and responsibility to be able to give it my best. If I feel uneasy about my working relationships, my motivation goes out the window and it can get very difficult to get back on track.

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## Peter M

Hi David A

One must look back to the origins of motivation, to its core foundation of existence with in your life, does this start with fear or reward (negative or positive)? I would say this solely depends on the personality of the individual and yesÃ¢â¬Â¦.. this mixed up emotion will fluctuate through out your working career and the ability to handle it as individuals separates the men from the boys. :Whistling:  

For me motivation has history and the more you use it the more mature it gets, becoming a weapon for success. :Thumbup:  

My motivation started with a dream of setting a goal to have my own business, enjoying the challenges to make it happen and drooling on the potential money I could make. As I became wise in this new venture, a new emotion pop up Ã¢â¬ÅfearÃ¢â¬Â which was rather humbling for me, it taught me respect for what I had created.

I use motivation by recognizing the strengths and weaknessÃ¢â¬â¢ of my staff (each one is different) creating a workable environment using their strength, fussing and continually acknowledging their achievements with rewards sometimes and the enticement of furthering their careers as well as developing their confidence levels. This enthusiasm spreads from one staff to the other which has great results for business. Sounds simple, but itÃ¢â¬â¢s not. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s a lot more complexed filled with emotional issues. So the art of manipulating these issues, turning it into motivation is challenging but essential for business. But remembering to keep all your promises, failure to this will destroy all motivation and really open a can of worms.

So what motivates me to get out of bed in the morning, come to work, set the atmosphere with a happy chappie smile with out the egotistic of been the boss  :Innocent:  , my responsibility to others, fear and reward.

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## Candy Bouwer

> creating a workable environment using their strength, fussing and continually acknowledging their achievements with rewards sometimes and the enticement of furthering their careers as well as developing their confidence levels. This enthusiasm spreads from one staff to the other which has great results for business.


"you got it boyo"!

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## Marq

I get going when I have a new challenge - but I have a problem with this  - it seems that I am a good starter but a poor finisher. So for me to lead I need to ensure a good back up team is there to pick up the pieces, fit them together and follow through. One of the keys is recognising your short comings and as a result knowing where the problems are likely to be.  

This motivation scenario is multifaceted.
It starts with the main player - the CEO - MD - HOD - (choose an acronym). The leadership style sets the pace for the business. Recognition of strengths and weaknesses - being able to accept the weaknesses and either working on them or finding solutions to them.

The people that are employed under the CEO are second and equally important keys - we spend too much time on "what" the job is, rather than "why" the job is, "how" the job will be performed and "who" will be the best to perform the job. A trend tends to be to employ a person that will not threaten or be a problem and then management cannot understand why mediocracy and unhappiness is the order of the day. 

A friend of mine is the CEO of his own organisation - he prides himself on the fact that he is the least qualified of all his partners - he only has three masters degrees - so one can imagine the rest of this group. I have been present at their boardroom discussions and the positive vibe and results that come out of them is amazing. All strong leaders and highly qualified people definitely a motivating factor. This is then passed on down the ranks. Now while this is the case 70% of the time (ok maybe 50%)  - I have also seen them in downward mode. This is where a master leader comes to the fore. Stroking and advising, positive, taking the emotions out of the issues, gently coercing and changing the subjects and positions. Before long its party mode again.

The ability of the person to do the job - from both a willingness and skills point of view - is also top of my list. Square pegs in round holes are often the challenge. If you have surrounded yourself with the wrong pegs -then its time to do some changing to ensure a peaceful ongoing scenario. You can pat a square peg only so many times, but it never becomes a round peg only a flat peg. It can be a painful exercise but sorting pegs is rewarding for the business, the other pegs (a motivator in itself) and although not seen at the time, the flat peg itself. 

I like the idea of getting an astrological chart done of candidate employees. See what makes them tick before they are employed. See where their global interests lie, who they will get on with, what will piss them off. A numerological exercise can determine whether a person is a thinker or a doer, has an emotive or robocop attitude to things, strong willed (stubborn) or easy going, supporter, sacrificial etc etc - Those psychic tests that these clinical psychologists do are also not too bad.....not too good but will give an indication. 

Lack of communication, transparency, recognition are all keys to getting it wrong. The BEE affirmative action and other apartheid practices currently on the go, as mentioned above by Dominic are also killers of motivation.

Seems I am repeating what has already been said.

Oh almost forgot Dave, seeing as you asked - I don't know why this works for me, but a good single malt or bottle of red always seems to be a good motivator and I also know that we have solved all the worlds problems at a single meeting so a few business challenges are no match for us.

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## Dave A

Wow. So many great posts. Thanks to everyone who have shared so far.

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## Candy Bouwer

> The ability of the person to do the job - from both a willingness and skills point of view - is also top of my list. Square pegs in round holes are often the challenge. If you have surrounded yourself with the wrong pegs -then its time to do some changing to ensure a peaceful ongoing scenario. You can pat a square peg only so many times, but it never becomes a round peg only a flat peg. It can be a painful exercise but sorting pegs is rewarding for the business, the other pegs (a motivator in itself) and although not seen at the time, the flat peg itself.


Marq...this is so true ...I like this analogy very much ..it make a lot of sense in the real world....I have heard something similar but not so aptly put.

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## duncan drennan

Now here is another conundrum that ties into this issue.

MoneyWeb is running a Wall Street Journal article on bad coworkers being the last to be layed off - here's an extract.




> Gerome Kraines, CEO of the Levinson Institute management consultancy, attributes the inexplicable longevity of underperformers to "legacy guilt." That means the person is "someone who has been poorly managed and damaged, and everyone feels guilty about it," he says.
> 
> Full Story on MoneyWeb


Now I've worked in a situation were there are people who manipulate to get whatever they want, and yet they are the WORST people that the company can possibly have. There are a couple of reasons for that type of thing, probably mainly political and emotional.

What the big problem is here - how do you motivate staff when they see a big asshole getting rewards (and whatever else he wants) and yet being the worst employee (based on output)?

This becomes a *serious* morale issue.

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## Dave A

> Sounds simple, but it’s not. It’s a lot more complexed filled with emotional issues.


*That* is exactly what makes this such an interesting and important subject.

The fundamentals are pretty obvious. Maslow theory sets out a hierarchy of needs:
Basic physiological needs - air, water, food, shelter.Safety needs - security in issues such as physical safety, health, income.Love needs - People have a constant desire to feel needed, friendship, love, family, social circle.Status - recognition by others and self-esteem.Actualisation - this is where things start to get hairy with Maslow and co.
In far simpler terms, once we get past survival of the individual/species issues, drivers can be broken down into two broad categories:
The stick - the avoidance of painThe carrot - the pursuit of pleasure
How difficult is that? Rule by fear or reward and mission accomplished???

OK. How about you set up a total reward system. People get recognised and rewarded for everything they do. How long before staff take this for granted? And fail to respond anymore because they are just _sooo_ comfortable? And get offended because they weren't singled out for special recognition for something that is basically a fundamental part of their duties.

Or the total pain system. People get punished for *every* transgression. The only way to avoid pain is to do *exactly* as expected. How long before people get tired, get numb to the pain and perform below par anyway?

I've had staff come from a "bad" workplace environment and really respond to the fact that they aren't whipped on a regular basis. And yet others come and reckon this is a ticket to slide.

So the answer seems to be a balancing act.

Here are the challenges:
Using the stick is easy and produces fairly consistent, predictable, but average results.
The carrot is more challenging to wield, can produce exceptional results - or can fail totally.
No matter how experienced we are, we need to conciously think about this stuff from time to time - it's too easy to slip into a reactive mode.

Note: I wrote this yesterday morning, but resolved to give everyone a chance to have their say first. I just knew I wasn't the only one with something to say. I think you'll agree the diversity has added depth to our combined understanding that a single answer would not have achieved.

Thank you everyone who posted. A big  :Thumbup:

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## duncan drennan

Here are some thoughts that have been mulling around in my (very inexperienced) mind. Take them from whence they came  :Smile: 


*Create structure, avoid control*

I believe that we all need structure - it helps us to function better. Some people are great at creating that in their own minds, while others need more concrete things in place.

(On a side note: one of the key ways of combatting depression is to create routine and structure for the depression sufferer)

I think that we tend to confuse structure and control quite a bit. The classical models of all leadership are hierarchical, and at the end of the day imply a control structure.

When I read Margaret Wheatley's "Leadership and the New Science" it certainly challenged the way I thought about organisations and control. My natural tendancy is to want to put tight controls in place and have everything done the way I want it. 

(For those who haven't read it the main premise is that classical organisational theory is based on control, just like classical science. The "New Science" she speaks about is chaos theory etc. where systems are self-organising. The idea being to let things self-organise. Read it, it is worth it).

Now my experience of the workplace is one where control was the key to leadership, and it seems that the more control there is the unhappier people are.

I think that is for a couple of reasons, one of the big ones being that the rules of the game keep changing, another one being that people feel they are not free (I believe that freedom of choice is what fundementally makes us human - but that is another story for a different time....)

So I would postulate that setting strong boundaries is good. It establishes a structure to work within, and also makes sure that as a whole you don't get distracted from the company's core goals.

I think that it would probably be a good idea to set those boundaries a bit outside of your own comfort zone too - all too often we are limited in what we achieve because we're not willing to be pushed outside of our own boundaries.

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## Dave A

> Now here is another conundrum that ties into this issue.
> 
> MoneyWeb is running a Wall Street Journal article on bad coworkers being the last to be layed off - here's an extract.


I've finally managed to make the time to read the article. It's really good.

I think there are two reasons for the problem - the first I quote from the article:



> Paul Garvey had one employee whose assembly-line production was 50% below that of his peers. "Previous management ignored the problem," he says, "resolution was going to be far more painful than ignoring it."
> 
> They were right: Two verbal warnings and two written warnings later, he dismissed his employee. But when the employee sued for unemployment benefits, he and an HR person had to appear before a magistrate after preparing "a stack of defensible material that would have made O.J.'s attorneys tremble in their $400 Oxfords," he says.


The second reason also from the article:




> Rigid ranking systems by some of the most storied corporations reward those making the numbers, even if they don't possess other necessary attributes, such as, say, basic human decency. "It's easier to learn how to make the numbers than to learn corporate values," says Richard Kilburg, senior director of the Johns Hopkins Office of Human Services.


IMHO all the other reasons reported are actually symptoms of these two root causes.

This bit had me really giggling:



> "For the life of me I can't figure out how he lasted so long," says Mark Brown of one former colleague who consistently posted the lowest sales numbers on his team. In truth, he was a terrific guy whose friendly qualities included making everyone waffles. "They were good waffles, too," says Mr. Brown. "Fruit toppings, syrup, powdered sugar and whipped cream."


All the instincts of a salesman, I reckon. Just questionable marketing direction.

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## Graeme

This is a big subject; long shelves of books have been written about it over the last hundred years and on both sides of the iron curtain, and at both the "stick" end and even at the "carrot" end there is a long history of intense trade union interest.

Points to bear in mind:

At the lower end of the workforce the reward should follow hard on the heels of the effort - long range incentives are not effective there.  For reasons which are not clearly understood, time-off is a powerful incentive at the lower end of the workforce.  It is also a powerful incentive for women, especially mothers, who use it for shopping, family matters, etc.  But time-off incentives can be difficult to manage, and unless an incentive is scrupulously fair it will end up causing resentment and becoming more trouble than it is worth.  These schemes are easy to start but can be difficult and very demotivating to end.  Always announce them as a "pilot scheme" with the implied possibility of withdrawal if it is seen not to work.  

At the lower level, group incentives often work well; the group imposes its own discipline on its members and it can become a self-regulating system.

At the non-unionised middle and upper end of the workforce longer-range incentives will be effective, but again, the incentives must be scrupulously fair.  Individual financial incentives work well here, but there must be no free lunch.

Never start something that you may not be able to continue with, and never, ever, just give benefits away.  Debases the currency. 

Incentives may take the form of recognition, time-off, money, and the very powerful one of personal transport, be it company car or bakkie which may be used for private as well as business use.  Be careful about the tax implications for the employee when it comes to private use of a company car, and make it plain that the private use of the vehicle may be withdrawn if it is abused.  Use of a company-owned vehicle is more effective than subsidising the employee's use of his own vehicle.  The subsidy becomes regarded as part of salary and squabbles over vehicle usage begin. 

Recognition is a far more effective incentive than most managers think - making a conscious effort to raise employees' degree of self-esteem is tremendously effective, and once this is working so is the converse - how does the old hymn go  "............midnight is thy smile withdrawn.........."  and it works right across the employee spectrum.  Very often financial incentives have more to do with the employees self-esteem at earning them than the pleasure of spending them.

And then there is the negative incentive of discipline.  Look upon discipline as a hot stove:   if you touch it you get burned - you had warning;   all who touch it get equally burned - the stove knows no favourites, etc.  The stove is impersonal - you take steps against the unacceptable act, not the person.

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## Dave A

Welcome Graeme. A great first post, but knowing you I'm not surprised.

As I'm probably the only person here that knows Graeme at this point, I'll mention that this sort of stuff used to be his bread and butter. He's a retired management consultant with qualifications in production engineering - and more.

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## entoserv

Being a grouch works for me. The staff might not be enthusiatic, but the job gets done. The only hassle is that I have to keep on their case.

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## Alan

Nice thread folk, some very interesting and varied points of view. 
What works for me with staff is not that easy to put into words, i suppose i just believe respect is a two way street. I do not try place myself on a pedestal and i steer clear of been ego driven. One thing i have learned after many years of being self employed is when selling, customers will always buy from someone they like, now i am not saying rely on that totally and your product can be cr*p. But if two sales people go see a prospective client with the same product the one that is liked on a personal level will make the sale. In much the same way it works with staff, you can sell them their  job if they like and trust you.The one point that nobody has raised yet [unless i missed it], IMO you must be seen by the staff to be a fair person. 
I agree with Dave in the friendly, happy approach toward staff, just makes for a better more productive work environment all round.

Now what works on a personal level, hmmmmm.........i suppose my biggest motivation is starting something from scratch, getting it up and rolling. Love the challenges of this.......... maybe that is why i enjoy such challenging hobbies.

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## duncan drennan

I wasn't sure if I should post this here, or under a new thread, but I felt that it could fall under a "root cause" of happy or unhappy staff - who you recruit.

Guy Kawasaki has some nice pointers on The Art of Recruiting...with this being his final point,




> *Don't assume you're done*. Garage once recruited an investment banker (mea culpa #1) from a large (mea culpa #2) firm. After weeks of wooing and several offers and counter offers, he accepted a position with us. He even worked for us for a few days, and then he called in sick. Late the next night, he sent me an email saying that he had accepted an offer from a former client of his old investment bank. I learned a valuable lesson: never assume that your recruiting is done. Frankly, you should recruit every employee every day because when they go home at night, you might never see them again if you don't keep the lovin' going.
> 
> The Art of Recruiting from Guy Kawasaki's blog

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## Dave A

Another snippet on current trends relating to staff motivation:




> *13th cheque falls by wayside*
> The traditional annual bonus or 13th cheque for salaried staff is a fast-fading phenomenon being replaced by performance bonuses, human resource experts have reported.
> 
> PE Corporate Services remuneration consultant Lance Meiring said 50 percent of its clients now used the performance bonus rather than a guaranteed 13th cheque as an incentive to encourage performance. 
> 
> "The trend is increasing for top management, middle management and for salaried staff."
> 
> While traditional bonuses amounted to about nine percent of the employee's annual salary and were not motivational, he said performance bonuses of 20 percent or more linked to individual performance were an attractive incentive.
> 
> ...

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## forumlover

Wow! This is a great thread, I really enjoyed reading all your thoughts. Thanks  :Smile:

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## Graeme

Self esteem every time. Raising a person's level of self esteem is the most powerful motivator I have ever found (salary increases do that, bonuses do that)   See earlier post (cannot remember how this thread business works).

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## SAQuotes

Ensure that your employees work in a comfortable climate, so request quotes for energy efficient air conditioning.

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## insulin

First of do not use incentive, donât be kind to your work force and Most importantly do not communicate kindness. I can say this with confidence. Here is my reason: My friend works at one of the biggest IT companies in South Africa and he would rather risk a R4000 speeding fine or Prison then facing his boss. His boss has fired people for being late, unable to cope with stress and you will love this one: ânot giving their 100% all the time!â He doesnât even pay them overtime or travailing allowance and sometimes will knowingly skip on paying them back for servicing of his employeeâs car. In short this boss puts the fear of god in his workforce and they will do anything! I do mean anything to please him...  The CCMA cannot touch him âand he makes it clear on the first day of your interviewâ And he will push you to breaking point every day. Sad thing is this person is making millions so this works...  FACT  :EEK!:

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## Graeme

A negative incentive is very powerful in the _short term_, until the employee finds another job.  In the long run, positive incentives win every time.  Incentives were my bread and butter for many years,

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## john@teambuild.co.za

> This came up in another thread, and I'd like to hear your ideas, so please post away!
> 
> Obviously different type of staff are motivated by different things, but how does one manage that effectively to get productive and compliant people? (read compliant as working towards the goals of the company)


In my limited experience, I have delivered many motivational talks and have reached a point where i have realised that motivation cannot really come from another person. What is happening during any form of external motivation is that you are awakening another to find their own cause of motivation. The external motivation (that delivered by another) is very short lived and almost becomes irritating as eventually one gets pissed off with a person who is consistently more motivated than yourself and perpetually tells you how great life is and how they love their image and mirror image! This also came to me when delving into the analogy of a situation of talking to 30 delegates and asking them what would happen if I bouhgt 6 hungry lions into the room. Most said they would get out of the room very quickly which I thought was quite pragmatic, and this would be done without any manager giving an instruction or a mentor counciling the individuals. This selfish act of denying the lions a meal was based on the person being "inspired" to live longer, and for those who stayed behind, it proved that their lack of motivation was due to there not wanting to live any longer (or maybe a desire to wrestle a lion?). Thus motivation is the act, the behaviour the attitudinal impulse that happens as a result of the inspiration one has. So, I believe that our work should be to help people find their inspiration in work, in a relationship, in their family, their community or in their life...the more inspired they are the more "self|" motivation they will have.
Q...what drives Julius motivation?


JOHN INGRAM 
john@teambuild.co.za

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## BBBEE_CompSpec

I try and avoid motivating with increases. They get used to living at that level and then don't get paid enough anymore.

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## yaritza5555

I think as a business leader you must ask them personally about them and their life.

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## Fitness freak

Motivation is a personal thing 
Money is not always the best way of motivation 

I love motivation and I motivate myself with sport and achievements 
Take the story about Riaan Manser that went around Africa on a bicycle and Madagascar on a kayak his words are that he never never never gives up 

Motivational speaker can motivate you but after a while that motivation is long gone. You must find a way to motivate yourself (that ticks your clock) 

Do fun things and always make the best of everything that you have to do like work, the money comes by itself. 

If you like taking photos become an photographer don't do law or finance shoot photos take a course you don't need a degree to be a professional photographer you need talent and practice and will power is the best medicine to every success story.  

put your goals up that everyone can see it (don't be shy ) If everyone knows your goal than it more difficult to quit and it will remind you of your goals

Motivate your staff by starting to respect them and others 
No staff will be motivated if there boss treads them like dogs even if they are scared of him in a while they will look for new work and the company needs to train someone in there place this will cost a lot of money eventually.

I know a few companies that have that philosophy that Insulin talked about 
In the end they applying for new positions and start working for the competition companies and they know that the staff that resigns from company x is good employees with good training and force behind them

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BBBEE_CompSpec (10-Nov-09)

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## DeborahCarrao

Hey Dave A and Duncan

Great topic and I must say that I must then be the luckiest employee. Here is what motivates me and all the other employees here at GetSmarter.

- Every month we have a massage (paid for by the company)

- In our brand strategy it is a requirement to "high-five" another employee at least twice a day. Although this may seem strange, it is fantastic. The whole office has this amazing energy, and everyone is joyous and happy.

- Every second month we have either a "pink day" or "green day". This is when we have breakfast with one another and play a game involving the mind. On "green days" we have more of a exercise we do, the last green day we had we all got a drum and learn't how to drum.

- Another great reason to be motivated is that we have a house keeper that cooks for us. We have a full customised menu that we choose from and get meals everyday. We get smoothies and snacks when we want as well.

- Now we also work across a large open field, so work bought us two bicycles and helmets so that we can ride in the field during lunch if we wanted to.

The list can go on and on about the motivation that I receive. But by far, I have the best employer!

And all it took was meaningful gratitude, respect and a positive environment.

Thanks

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## Pap_sak

My staff gets an extra 1 weeks pay if they get 10% above the same month last year. Above that they get 6% of total sales(split between them). They are generally on the lowest paid grade as they are shop staff - I am sure you cannot do it in all industries. 

They also get all items they purchase for themselves and gifts at cost, within reason.

I am very flexible with days/ time off and give them more days if they do not abuse sick days (which are a hassle for me).  Between 4 of them, one staff member has taken 1 day of sick leave in the last 7 months.

I think the biggest thing is respect. I know, that they know, that they can rip me off anytime they want (within reason), but I trust them not to do so.

It's (generally) worked so far, but I am putting some more checks in place....up and till last week sometimes I didn't even count the cash....

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## Pap_sak

-* In our brand strategy it is a requirement to "high-five" another employee at least twice a day. Although this may seem strange, it is fantastic. The whole office has this amazing energy, and everyone is joyous and happy.*


This would kill me  :Cool:

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robinsonwang (29-Nov-10), roryf (30-Nov-10)

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## sgafc

Lets face it, most employees have a mindset that they only there to collect a paycheck. We have to change that.As sme's we lack the resources to create dedicated HR departments. So as owners we have to set the trends. I agree with all the sentiments. 

Employees cannot perform in a rigid miltary environment, it might work in the corporates, but not for us.

Employee involvement in major strategies and targets also helps in boosting staff morale. :Smile:

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## SilverNodashi

> Great article. I think this bit applies to every business leader:As for the rest, I can really relate. I absolutely *hate* interruptions when I'm in creative mode.


This is an important lesson: Learn who your staff is, and what irretates / agrivates them. If you know your creative staff doesn't like to be interrupted when they're on the ball, then try and respect & accomodate them. Maybe suggest they close the offer door, with a "do not disturb" sign and email them if you / someone else need them. You could follow the same with other staff as well, especialy salaries / accounts / debtors / etc. 




> My next tip is to know every staff member's name, and use it when talking to them. Don't just say "hello", say *"Hello {username}".* (And for guests visiting, you're just not going to get that personal touch unless you register).
> 
> I've heard it said that the sweetest sound for any person is to hear someone else saying their name.


This is also very important, and useful to keep in mind. My one friend's dad does a lot of traveling with his export business, and speaks 7 languages very well. He has mentioned many times that the foreign companies which he greed / address in their own language are normally the ones who very quickly sign the deal. The companies where needed to have a translator normally takes longer to close a deal with. 




> *You* set the mood.
> 
> Your mood is contagious. If you're down and depressed, it'll infect everyone else. If you're up and chipper, the mood will spread.
> 
> Have you ever walked into a room and everyone is feeling down? Notice that pretty soon you're feeling down too?


The other day, both myself & my wife felt a bit down. Interestingly I also picked it up from a few clients too. And we didn't see them face to face, just talked to them over the phone. 

Possitive energry breeds possitive energy, same as success breeds success. 

Very good point as well. Make the envorinment a happy / pleasant one, where possible. We play radio during the day and have a very relaxed office environment. I also encourage regular breaks during the day, even if it's just a walk around the block, which helps to get the blood flowing again and clears the mind from stresfull issues that may arise. 




> When something goes wrong, somebody made a mistake, what happens in your organisation?
> 
> Quite often there's a witch hunt to find who's to blame.
> 
> It is far better to focus on *what* went wrong rather than *who* went wrong. For a number of reasons.
> 
> The primary goals should be to fix the problem and prevent it happening again. 
> 
> The "need" to apportion blame is only relevant in preventing the problem from happening again. But it is more important to understand what went wrong in the first place. What you need now is for the folk who might have contributed to the mess to give all the information that they know, not desperately hide the evidence of their part in the fiasco.
> ...


well spoken  :Wink: 

Try, as far as possible, to address the problem / mistake instead of the person. He, or she, is also a human being who makes mistakes just like you and me. Address the problem and try and solve it together if you can. For example, if it's an accounting issue then give the client some credit (as compensation for his troubles) and sit down with the accountant and fix the problem together. 

Sure, in the case of an enginering firm where a while was drilled to big or something like that you may need to replace a whole beam. i.e it may be an expensive fix, but the person responsible will probably learn someting from the experience, and learn to respect & trust you more. And, you may have a happy client as well. 




> That's the worst   "*Someone* must be blamed and anyone will do". Oh dear.
> 
> Whilst I can still cover some broad concepts on this, I think we need to open this up a bit. As in get specific. *Everyone* has got *something* that gets them going - and things that definitely don't!
> 
> For example, does competition turn you on or turn you off?
> Have you been motivated by something different - out of the mainstream?
> What *definitely* demotivates you?
> 
> C'mon *{username}*, what gets *you* going?


heh, nice trick. For a moment there I thought you were using my name in vain  :Wink: 



Some things which motivate people:
- team building. It helps to loosen up people and let staff get to know each other better. It also shows that the boss cares about them and give something back, without  the staff doing much for it. 
- praise wall. When someone does something well, or a client sends you a letter / email / phone call to say "John did an awesome job, well done!" put it on a praise wall where others can see it and congratulate him. 
- performance bonuses. this one is probably obvious but I know many people who don't get a bonus at the end of the year and while you / I as boss feel the salary enough, we don't always know what our staff's financial situation is like back home. If you reward him well financially, he'll reward you well with his work. 
- enough rest / vacation time. Don't skimp on this one. Someone who's rested well, works well. Someone who over-works, under-performs. Microsoft has (had?) this policy where the top staff got a 4 week holiday every 3 months. The average person takes 2 weeks to completely switch off from anything, so the next 2 weeks is your actual resting period. And it's often enough so the staff doesn't burn out. And look at how well Microsoft does (forget about your personal issues with Windows for a monent) financially, growth-wise, etc. They grow at a phenominal rate, which means that even though this practice sounds unproductive, it isn't.

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## adrianh

The question is: what is it that demotivates them?

I once worked for a company where the management were totally off their heads. The one director was a sociopath and the other followed him around like a dog. The upper management had their own clique and the workers were left. It was so bad that the upper mangement would sit on the one side of an openplan office and the workers on the other. They would laugh and discuss staff and generally carry on. Then one day they got in a consultant to motivate us "The Brand Energizer Program" people were forced to have motivational meetings and to make posters. We had to do the team building thing and we had to write essays about how good it is to work at the company. Of course this lot ended up being a total fiasco and the staff hated the management even more for treating them like children. I quoted the following to the management in one of our energizer meetings one day: "Culture and ethics adhere to gravity, they flow down not up". I was told to shut the F up for not knowing what I am talking about.

So, as far as I am concerned the best way to demotivate people is to come at them with text book motivational crap. Treat them as you would treat your own children, with dignity and respect and with an awareness of who they are and what their needs are. Then further lead by example. And leading by example does not mean that you are the perfect leader never making mistakes, no it is by also being human, failing, getting up and moving on. 

I found that the people that I have the highest regard for are humble. I know a billionare who treats everybody with respect. The man will have a chat with the cleaner with the same interest as talking to the CA. I sat next to him on a flight to Windhoek one day and we chatted merrily about this and that. His 2IB is also a self made millionare with a BCOM, LLB, CA & MBA. He walks around in dirty jeans and drives a crappy car. If you saw him in the street you would take no notice of him at all. He has the same character as the big man. People work for him, follow him and trust him because of his wisdom and humility.

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AndyD (09-Sep-10), Blurock (11-May-11), Dave A (24-May-10), Debbiedle (07-Feb-11), duncan drennan (24-May-10)

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## JACQUISMITH69

you hit then nail on the head. great stuff

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## ava_camen

team building always work better especially when compared to commission basis rewards.

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## robinsonwang

> My next tip is to know every staff member's name, and use it when talking to them. Don't just say "hello", say *"Hello {username}".* (And for guests visiting, you're just not going to get that personal touch unless you register).
> 
> I've heard it said that the sweetest sound for any person is to hear someone else saying their name.
> 
> My biggest challenge with this is that I'm really bad with names.


This one is great. The moment when you say robinsonwang, i got excited and proud because you have remembered me. Once employee's name remembered by his boss or someone he/she admired, then the power from their heart was motivated. To remember one't name is a respect to him and is also a good tool to build a good relationship. The first i went to a salesman training course, the teacher only asked us to remember the name of the classmates around you and more details about others. if you can do this, the teacher will give a hight point to you.
wow, name is great.

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## adrianh

A good whipping is just the thing.

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## cibecs

We've got a company blog going - it's great for idea sharing and the occasional boast... we use wordpress. It's had a marked impact on company team building - communication between departments and has given the sales team added motivation as they get recognition via the blog.

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## bjsteyn

> My biggest challenge with this is that I'm really bad with names. I have to work very hard at it to get a new name stuck in my head. And even then I go blank sometimes.


Ha ha .. I am just as bad, and hate it when i have to ask a second time ...

And the worst part is i am person that if i ask how it is going, i really want to know, even if it is not going good at all. But, dam names.

From my programming point of view as a freelancer, it makes my day when people appreciate my effort and sees the little bits of genius in it. I normally do more than what is asked of me, as programming is part of me, and i take pride in what i do.

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## wynn

Living in the Eastern Cape you can get away calling everybody 'Boet' or 'Swaar' :Stick Out Tongue:

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## bjsteyn

> Living in the Eastern Cape you can get away calling everybody 'Boet' or 'Swaar'


I am from the generation where it is either "balsak" if you are afrikaans or "buddy" if you are english, although i don't call manny people "balsak", just my friends.  :Cool:

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## Blurock

Adrianh, I can not agree with you more. Treating people with respect costs nothing, yet it is so rewarding that I fail to understand why not everybody does it. It works in business, private life, politics, travel and.... and...

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## HR-Student

Know them well enough to know what drives them and then use that as a motivator to get them to work more... miracles really happen with this trick....

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## Madison Scott

If you want to motivate your staff them the encourage them for their good work. Give them Applause, Attention and many more for their good work.

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## mother

I motivate my staff by sharing our strategies and financials with them, including the factory staff. Obviously, I only share what they will understand, but enough to be a true reflection of how the business is performing. That way, they understand how increases are calculated and what influences it. They understand how working harder affects profit, which could lead to better increases. Basically, they become "engaged" employees.

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## Blurock

The problem is that many of our managers are not leaders. A leader will address a problem and fix it, not just moan about how unproductive and bad staff is. A leader sets the example. He does not wait for staff to greet him, but greets staff first. He does not listen to gossip and he does not have favourites. Everyone is treated the same - with respect and dignity. A leader does not demand respect, but earns it.

It is so sad that leadership is often lacking in politics and business alike. Personal entitlement and greed has unfortunately taken over. :Blushing:

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