Managers as Motivators: Understand the Guiding Principles
Friday, May 24, 2013
Think the promise of promotion into management would motivate
most employees? Not so, according to a survey by staffing firm The
Creative Group, which found 71 percent of workers surveyed would
not want their manager's job. "A manager needs to get to know his
or her employees," says Carol E. Gilson, vice president of human
resources and client services for EMPO, a human resources services
firm. "By being genuinely concerned about each employee, the
manager will learn what motivates each individual."
Some workers respond to private compliments on their work, while
others thrive on formal recognition, Gilson explains. Still others
-- particularly salespeople -- work hardest when a generous
commission program is offered. And some want to work on special
projects.
Study these guiding principles to become a more effective
motivator.
Six Big Motivators to Remember
Sharon Jordan-Evans of Jordan Evans Group and coauthor of Love 'Em
or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay cites a revealing
job-satisfaction survey of more than 15,000 people. All of them
named at least one of the first three of these six big
motivators:
- Exciting work and challenge.
- Career growth.
- Learning and development.
- Working with great people.
- Fair pay.
- Supportive management/good boss.
"So while fun matters most to one talented employee, another is
motivated more by autonomy and yet another by flexibility,"
Jordan-Evans says. "Motivation -- engagement and retention too --
is therefore largely an individual activity between the boss and
employee."
Individual Attention Pays Dividends
Jordan-Evans recommends going to lunch with team members
individually to help understand them better. What does each one
enjoy most and least about his job? What does he want to learn
next, and how would he like to learn it? Ask what you can do as a
boss to make their jobs more enjoyable or satisfying.
If Sally would be pumped by learning desktop publishing and taking
a crack at the company newsletter, send her to a class. If Jose
wants exposure to the senior team, invite him to the next staff
meeting. Watch their performance soar as workers get involved in
what they really want to do.
Gilson says effective managers all seem to have one thing in
common: They invest in their employees psychologically. They truly
believe in them and spend quality time finding ways to raise their
level of personal and professional self-esteem. Most employees will
spare no effort to achieve recognition from someone who truly
appreciates their work.
Motivate Every Day
Managers should remember to practice motivational tactics on a
regular basis, not just once a year at a team-building seminar,
Jordan-Evans advises.
Tracey Turner, executive director of The Creative Group, says,
"It's especially crucial to keep motivation high during times of
change, such as when a company is expanding or downsizing.
Businesses that wait until morale is tangibly lagging to address
motivation suffer the costly consequences of reduced productivity
and increased turnover. It's much easier to maintain high
motivation than rescue a demoralized or unhappy team."