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)

[Dave A]

Give some attention

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.

[duncan drennan]

Remove distractions

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

[Dave A]

Use their name.

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.

[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.

[Dave A]

You set the mood.

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.

[Dave A]

Create a no-blame environment.

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.

[duncan drennan]

And on that note, some Dilbert,

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

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

[Dave A]

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?

[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 future
• Lack 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 learn
• Helps 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.

[Entity]

LOL ok 1st things 1st Im Dominic

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

[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

[Candy Bouwer]

From a Sales persons perspective

C'mon Candy Bouwer, what gets you going?

Gee talk about pressure!!

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 ...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!!

[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.

[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 yes….. 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.

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

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 “fear” which was rather humbling for me, it taught me respect for what I had created.

I use motivation by recognizing the strengths and weakness’ 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 it’s not. It’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 , my responsibility to others, fear and reward.