UNITED STATES, Jan 19 — Incorrect starting point Almost everywhere you turn there seems to be another rewards based incentive program to motivate people. This approach can work short term only for people who don’t like their work. But with the time these people will only demand larger rewards to gain the same satisfaction. The step is to realize the difference between motivating and enabling motivation
I
ncorrect starting point Almost everywhere you turn there seems to be another rewards based incentive program to motivate people. This approach can work short term only for people who don’t like their work. But with the time these people will only demand larger rewards to gain the same satisfaction. And for people who actually enjoy their work, their performance and motivation will most likely decrease short and long term since they are the ones who don’t require external factors to do what they enjoy. I have found that the best way to ensure people are at their best is to align their abilities (what they are able to do if motivated) and their interests.
The intersection is where people will thrive. The problems with motivational programs Each person is unique and has different needs. Most motivational programs assume that all people are motivated by the same factors. This is simply not true. Why in many motivational programs there are different winners and losers? Whether it is the sales trip to Hawaii, the employee of the month parking spot, or the employee of the week free lunch, these programs only offer the opportunity for the unhappy workers. These programs are in use because they are easy to implement, measure, and produce. They don’t take deep thought or long directions to understand.
Do this and you will be rewarded or do this and you will be punished. People are much more complex than that. How not to motivate people In order to learn more about motivation, first learn how NOT to motivate people. Here are a few ideas. Give people work not worth doing or which does not add value. Micromanage people by giving them less opportunity for autonomy and decision making freedom. Make people compete against others or standards. Use this as the sole guide for rewards and punishments. Showcase the winners and losers to everyone else. This will for sure help to lower morale and motivation. Focus on productivity and efficiency and not on personal development. Ignore peoples’ abilities and interests and instead like cattle herd them ONLY to work which needs to be done in specific ways.
A better approach It starts with the hiring process. Hire people who want to do the work you have available. Make people development a higher priority than profit. That’s right, you read this correctly. When people feel like their live mean something to those they work for, productivity will soar to all time highs and of course will be followed by profit. Give people full autonomy in their work. Let people make all decisions, work in ways which best suit them, and encourage collaboration but not competition at work. Enabling vs. motivating Enabling motivation means teaching.
Managers teach people how to motivate themselves and in turn people find ways for self-reward, praise, and internal motivation. Stop the silly Friday dress down days, employee of the month awards, and special parties for high performance. This rarely works for children so why assume this approach to motivate work for adults. Treat people at work as owners and as a result people will act and make decisions like owners. New results for the Best Manager It takes hard work for a person to be the BEST Manager especially when it comes to helping others to be motivated. The step is to realize the difference between motivating and enabling motivation. As a result people and organizations will thrive and work better together which can only help the bottom line.
Communicate directly with Craig Nathanson, the author of this article. Ask questions, send suggestions, comments, engage in conversation, or perhaps you would like to submit a project.
Click Here to ask a question, send a comment, or proposal.
Here are some of the best ways to get into this industry
Events management is a career for those who’re organized, energetic and outgoing. A work hard, party hard attitude is key, and while it can be a highly stressful job, a rec
In today’s difficult economy, lots of terrible things can happen. One of these is getting laid off or fired from a job when you didn’t do anything wrong. People forced into this position want to know what options they have available to th
Recent surveys by several prominent medical entities have revealed some disturbing trends among America’s doctors. Those surveys suggest that stress among physicians is at an all-time high and, as those physicians admit, high enough that it is
Refrigerators are 81 year old inventions that have enabled humans to keep food fit for human consumption for a much longer time than it would have stayed fresh, had the food been standing outside. This saves both money on spoilt groceries and a
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia defines public health as the “science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized community efforts.”
Are you consumed by a passion to help people? Do you thrive for working under pressure? Do emergency situations bring out the best in you? Do you get an adrenalin rush every time you think about a “code blue” call? Do you want to be at th
Job satisfaction is one of our most important goals in life, but one we often fail to pursue. It’s not always easy to secure the right sort of employment: for many of us, the hunt for the ideal career can be really challenging. But a few easy steps c
Fire Engineering and Industrial Safety as a career option is fast catching up with the students in India. Whereas in abroad Fire Engineering and Industrial Safety is an integral part of most of university programs Introduction of Fire Engineering and
The most widely used description of a resume format is a type of electronic file whether in Word format. The central theme of a resume format is primarily oriented around the dominant features of a resume which reflects the entire philosophy of an in
There are too many examples of the lack of integrity today in management. If you wish to be a manager who gets great results with people, focusing on your integrity is a good place to start.
What is integrity?
In many organizations managers are not taught how to manage their budgets. In some cases managers are given budget responsibility but not budget authority. In t
I see it everywhere - people working in jobs which carry little meaning and provide little support for personal development. Worst, the culture treats people as commodities. Perform
Syndication
tweet
PDF version
Printable version
Publisher HTML version
Discussions (0)
Email Article
Post New Comment