Motivating People v 2.0

How many people are working in your organization?

Almost half

Jokes apart, statistics on regular companies show:

Employees engagement toward work

Therefore it would really pay off to stimulate people’s engagement

But how?

Motivating people

it’s nothaving people doing what their bosses want

Managers should strive for people’s engagement not for their compliance

Overpayment

it’s notsolution for motivating people

Simply adding more gas in the tank will not

make the machine run faster

Things that really motivate people

differs very much of

things that just keep people away from being dissatisfied

Minimum requirements

The “want to do” curve

Time

Performance

The “have to do” curve

Engagement

Discretionary effort

the way motivated individuals approach work

SAM model for getting people “run an extra mile”

* Meaningfulness(sense of accomplishment for people performing their role)

* Availability(support/resources, so people feel confident will be able to perform their job)

* Safe psychological environment(fair treatment, so people feel secure enough to be themselves)

After William A Kahn

Engagementhigh levels of activity, initiative & responsibility

Shared mission Shared expectanciesPeople won’t take better

initiatives until they understand the direction organization is

moving to

People won’t improve performance in the future until they understand how well their work units are now

performing

What makes people run that extra-mile?

VisionVision

ResultsResults

Values

Competences

Objectives Principles

Strategies

Mission

Plans Behaviors

Busi

ness

Str

uctu

reO

rganizational Culture

Predictability Flexibility

Management Leadership

The path from Vision to Results …

It only takes one broken link to cut it

… depends on cohesion of managerial chain of decision & command

• Specific• Important• Measurable

… depends on managers ability to set the framework for people;

The objectives to aim for The values to play by

Align individual objectives with business objectives

Align individual behavior with organizational values

More doesn’t mean better. Clear doesn’t mean complete.

… and depends on managers ability to keep the things on the right track.

Feedback: Observation basedSituational ConsequencesAlternativesResults

Performance flow

Skills level

Task difficulty

Stress

Boredom

Setting objectives is all about balance …

delegating ≠ abdicationnot delegating = micromanagement

… and about art of delegation

Never to delegate, it’s always yours ACCOUNTABILITY for the task

Delegate TASK along with

RESPONSIBILITY for the final outcomeAUTHORITY to make decisions

Delegate only to persons who haveABILITIES / KNOWLEDGE / SKILLSto fulfill the task

(or capacity to learn it during process)

Always use the 3 facets of the coinpositivesnegativesfacts

Deal with the other guy emotionswhen the other guy is in emotional mode: acknowledge his/her emotionswhen the other guy is in rational mode: discuss points/reasoning

Use the “I” statements “I felt … when you …”

Criticize in private

Feedback keeps the things on the right track

Developing people is even tougher than configuring a computer

Method

Objective

Training contribution

Coaching contribution

Management methods contribution

Length of implementation

Developing knowledge 60-80% 10-30% 0-10% Days

Developing skills 20-40% 40-60% 20-40% Months

Developing attitudes 0-20% 20-40% 40-80% Years

Reward means more than money

Employee behavior Reward

Has initiatives, Takes new responsibilities, Overachieves his/her objectives.

Formal recognition Bonus (variable payment linked to performance)

Fulfill his/her duties; achieves his/her targets

Receives fixed salary. Informal positive feedback.

Follows company rules and regulations

Being hired in the company; being accepted as member of the team

Some basic principles …

Reward means more than money

… solves practical dilemmas

Replace

Promote him/her

Recognition

RewardUse as expert, isolate

him/her

Develop through training

assessment action

Competent, not aligned

to values

Not competent, not aligned

Average competent, aligned to

values

STAR

Aligned to org. values

Competence

Manager’s perception on fairness …

… employees perception on fairness

differs a lot compared with

Strict balance it’s not perceived as fairness

punishments rewards

Fairness(equal proportion of punishments/rewards)

Fact: Manager gives 3 punishments versus 3 rewards

Employee perception:very tough boss

Generosity it’s perceived as fairness

Fairness(equal proportion of punishments/rewards)

Punishments rewards

Fact: Manager gives 1 punishment versus 3 rewards Employee perception:

fair/correct boss

Set the rules from the very beginning (transparent)Apply the rules (consistent)

Fair treatment (equal treatment)

Still you’ll have to face ethical dilemmas

Last but not least,

let’s not forget personal development

belief effect comment

I/others have to be perfect

no mistakes allowed simply impossible

I/others have to be strong no weakness allowed simply impossible

I have to be liked by everybody all the time

no dispute allowed simply impossible

Life has to be fair no unfortunate events accepted

simply impossible

Irrational blocking believes work against each individual

Making us waste time and energy, denying real adaptive behavior

After Albert Ellis

Performance = own potential – internal interferences

”Internal game” we play against ourselves

After Tim Gallwey

Can be cured by:

Exploring realityMaking choices Trusting our own potential

Happiness and Achievement

Are a matter of choice and habit.

HEDONIST

“Pleasure Now!”

HAPPINESS

Positive emotions

Present joy Future meaning

MARATHON RUNNER

Present pain for future gain

NIHILIST

Learned helplessness

Focus on past

Present gain

Present lose

Future lose Future gain

ACTION Future effect

Pres

ent e

ffect

After Tal Ben-Shahar

Happiness and Achievement

Are a matter of choice and habit.

ACTION

Happiness

Success

Pleasure (present benefit)

Meaning (future benefit)

After Tal Ben-Shahar

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We are what we repeatedly do!

“Keep doing what you’re doingAnd you’ll keep getting what you’re getting!"

Will welcome your comments and feedback

cristian.dobrescu@gmail.ro twitter: @baietu

http://ro.linkedin.com/in/cristiandobrescu