A Four-Part Motivation Mantra For Success
April 27, 2009 by Miki Saxon
As a boss (whether CEO, team leader or any level in-between) you need to accomplish many things within your organization (whether company or team) to be successful, especially in the current economic situation.
Near the top of the list is the need to
- motivate your people (without breaking the bank);
- strengthen and diversify your workforce (often without adding headcount); and
- innovate (products and processes; internally and externally; large and small)
Big order, but here’s how to make it happen.
Start by looking inwards to be sure your MAP supports the program.
Next, keep this mantra playing in your head
- Read it.
- Hear it.
- Do it.
- Teach it.
Then implement it by
- building a useful library, both hard copy (used books are very inexpensive) and online, that includes classic and current information and runs the gamut from traditional to controversial to off-the-wall. Encourage your people to read up on subjects that interest them, whether or not it directly applies to their expertise;
- choosing “topics of the month” based on both need and interest, then encourage free-wheeling discussions on a regular basis;
- modify assignments as much as possible, so people can start to use, and become proficient in, the new skills about which they are reading, learning and talking; and
- supporting brown-bag classes (buy lunch if possible) in which they may teach both their new and original skills to others. Add cross-working assignments to ensure cross-training.
Remember, it’s a long-term fix, because there are no short-term fixes and the only thing you have that’s even close to a silver bullet is your MAP!
Your comments—priceless
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Image credit: Felipe Venâncio on flickr
Your article gets to some critical success factors yet one area that seems to be missing is coaching. Unlike the great ideas you shared, coaching provides a platform for just in time learning which is critical to building individual strengths so that their potential becomes talent.
Hi Beth, While I agree that coaching has value (I am one) I focus all my writing on what line managers can/should do themselves since it is their responsibility and not one that should be outsourced, whether to HR or a coach. This is especially in tough economic times.
Miki,
I agree. So what holds back managers from coaching? There is a great book, The Coaching Manager, that would be helpful to managers who want to develop this skill. I recommend it to many of my clients.
Best, Beth
I think it’s partly language. I know a number of managers who have implemented what I described in the post, do a terrific job developing their people, but don’t consider any of it coaching or even mentoring. One even scoffs at “coaching,” yet that is what he’s known for.
In working with my MAP coaching I’ve found that what holds many managers back is terminology. If they relate to the descriptive terms there’s no problem, but if they don’t they can’t implement what they’ve learned. I change the language and bingo, they take off like a rocket.
Strange, but true.
Powerful article and so simple Miki. I really like it, and it’s something I’ll be thinking about a lot this week.
Gotta align myself with my MAP!
It should sound familiar, Phil, it’s what you do.