Motivating Employees _ Bringing Out the Best in Your People - Barry Silverstein [7]
SOURCE: Evocative Images, edited by Lon Geiser and Morris I. Stein (The American Psychological Association, 1999).
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It means being honest and straightforward. Respect also means recognizing an employee’s efforts and rewarding an employee’s loyalty, dedication, and hard work.
Trust, confidence, and respect may seem like basic concepts. But it is surprising how few managers really embrace them. The fact is, many managers themselves are not trusted or respected by their superiors, because their superiors may not believe in them. This is particularly true in highly structured organizations with many management levels, and in organizations run by self-made entrepreneurial owners who may have adopted an authoritarian or controlling attitude toward employees.
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Plan B
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BETRAYAL
On occasion, an employee betrays your trust. When that occurs, take corrective action immediately. Meet with the employee privately and provide specific feedback about how the individual let you down. Stay calm and objective, but let the employee know you are disappointed. Give the individual the chance to explain and to make amends. Work together to assure it does not happen again. If necessary, create a plan for improvement, and get the employee to agree to it.
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Another reason few managers operate on trust, confidence, and respect lies in the prevailing philosophy of modern American business. Today, when a company needs to improve productivity and profitability, reductions in staff are commonplace. When a merger takes place, one of the first changes is in the workforce; positions are eliminated and people let go.
When employees are regarded as a line item that can be cut at will, it is easy to forget that the workforce consists of individuals with unique skills and knowledge bases. Reducing salaries, cutting benefits, and laying people off becomes an impersonal means to an end.
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Red Flags
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WHAT NOT TO DO
Even when managers have the best of intentions, not following through on promises has a negative effect on their employees’ motivation. Do any of these behaviors sound familiar?
You tell an employee you will follow up on an issue but never do.
You keep an over-qualified employee in a low-level position rather than making an effort to give him greater responsibility.
You berate an employee in front of a group or at a meeting.
You arrange a group event and then postpone it several times because “everyone is too busy.”
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Managers who must carry out the organization’s orders to reduce staff under the above conditions may become fearful of their own positions and take out their frustration on employees as a result. Alternatively, they may want to demonstrate to senior management that they are “tough” and can deal with cutbacks or layoffs decisively.
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Behind the Numbers
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THE UNDER-MOTIVATED WORKFORCE
Keeping employee motivation high is a constant management challenge.
69 percent of operating managers called the “lack of employee motivation” the most annoying problem they face in their organization.
73 percent of employees said they are less motivated today than they used to be.
84 percent of employees said they could perform significantly better if they wanted to.
50 percent of employees said they are only putting enough effort into their work to hold onto their jobs.
SOURCE: Super-Motivation by Dean R. Spitzer (AMACOM, 1995).
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Unfortunately, managers who themselves are not trusted or respected may not trust or respect those who work for them. The cycle continues, unless some manager recognizes the vital role that trust, confidence, and respect can play in motivating employees—and moving the company from good to great.
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Dos & Don’ts
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HOW TO GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS
When you speak to employees, your words carry a lot of weight—not only what you say,