Motivating People

Understanding
Encouraging
Rewards, Objectives and Aims

Learning
Training and Tips
Evaluating and Incentives
Inspiring and Coaching

Author: Robert Heller

 Motivating People
Analyzing Motivation: To inspire people
to work – individually or in groups – in
ways that produce the best results,
you need to tap into their own
personal motivational forces.
 Motivating People
What is motivation? The art of motivating people starts with learning how
to influence individuals’ behavior. Once you understand this, you are more
likely to gain the that results that both the organization and its members
want.
Defining Motivation
Motivation is the will to act. It was once assumed that motivation had be
injected from outside, but it is now understood that everyone is motivated
by several differing forces. In the workplace, seek to influence your staff to
align their own motivations with the needs of the organization.
To release the full potential of employees, organizations are rapidly
moving away from “command and control” and towards “ advise and
consent” as ways of motivating. This change of attitude began when
employees recognized that rewarding good work is more work is more
effective than threatening punitive measures for bad work,

If you do not know what

motivates a person, just ask.
 Motivating People
Motivating Long Term

Self-motivation is long-lasting. Inspire self-motivated staff further by

trusting them to work on their own initiatives and encouraging them to
take responsibility for entire tasks. For de-motivated staff members, find
out what would motivate them, and implement whatever help you can.
Highly motivated individuals are vital to supply organizations with the
new initiatives that are necessary in the competitive business world.

Assess your own motivation

levels as well as those of your
staff.
 Motivating People
Whom To Motivate?
Motivation used to be considered only in one direction:
downwards, the superior motivating the subordinate. That is
no longer enough. In well-managed organizations, in which
subordinates do far more than that orders, superiors may
need motivating to act accordingly. Encourage colleagues to
share your ideas and enthusiasm at work. Use motivation to
achieve both collaboration and co-operation from everyone wit
whom you work.

Use persuasion and

influence in order to
encourage self-motivation.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs

Since the 1940s research into human behavior has suggested that
people are motivated by a number of different needs, at work and in
their personal life. Recognizing and satisfying these needs will help you
to get the best from people.

Establish what the needs

of your staff are, and assist
in meeting them.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs
Understanding Motivation
Several motivation theories work on the assumption that given the change and the
right stimuli, people work well and positively. As a manger, be aware of what these
stimuli or “motivational forces” are. Theorist Abraham Maslow grouped
them into five areas. The first is physiological needs, and these are
followed by further needs, classed as “safety”, “social”. “esteem”,
and “self-actualization”. According to Maslow, the needs are
tackled in order: as you draw near to satisfying one, the priority of
the next one becomes higher. Also, once a need has been
satisfied, it is no longer a stimulus.

Remember that making

work fun does not mean
making it easy.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs
Understanding Motivation
Meeting Needs at Work

The maslow hierarchy is particularly relevant in the workplace

because individuals do not need just money and rewards, but also
respect and interaction. When designing jobs, working conditions, and
organizational structures, bear in mind the full range of needs in the
maslow hierarchy. Doing this will cost no more, but it will undoubtedly
generate higher psychological and economic rewards all round.

Try to motivate through

the use of voluntary social
and sports activities.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs
Understanding Motivation
Meeting Needs at Work
Balancing Group Needs
Individuals acting as part of a group have needs that differ from
those of the group. However, it is important for individuals to
feel they belong. Find a way to balance the needs of the group
with those of individuals. For example, tell staff that if the group
meets its major objectives, you may be able to satisfy individual
requirements. Do not, of course, promise what you cannot
deliver.

Use inter-team competition

to help stimulate team spirit.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs
Understanding Motivation
Meeting Needs at Work
Balancing Group Needs
Satisfying Basic Needs
Psychologist Frederick Herzberg developed a “two-factor” theory for motivation based
on “motivators” and “hygiene factors”. Hygiene factors – basic human needs at work –
do not motivate but failure to meet them causes dissatisfaction. These factors can be as
seemingly trivial as parking space or as vital as sufficient holiday time, but the most
important hygiene factor is finance. A manager should try to fulfill staff members’
financial needs. People require certain pay levels to meet their needs, and slow income
progression and ineffective incentives quickly de-motivate. Fear about lack of security in
a job also greatly de-motivates staff.

Keep the number of

supervisors to a minimum.
 Motivating People
Recognizing Needs
Understanding Motivation
Meeting Needs at Work
Balancing Group Needs
Satisfying Basic Needs
Ensuring Motivation
The second of Herzberg’s two factors is a set of “motivators” that
actually drive people to achieve. These are what a manager should
aim to provide in order to maintain a satisfied workforce. How much
a person enjoys achievement depends purely on its recognition. The
ability to achieve, in turn, rests on having an enjoyable job and
responsibility. The greater that responsibility, the more the
individual can feel the satisfaction of advancement. Motivators are
built around obtaining growth and “self-actualization” from task.
You can raise motivation in your staff by increasing their
responsibility, thereby “enriching” their jobs.

Remember that different people

are motivated in different ways.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior

Actual behavior is very important, but so are the reasons behind it.
In most cases, the only way to know how motivated your staff
members are is through the ways in which they behave. This
includes what they say, their gestures, expressions, and stance.

Be aware that the systems that your

staff use may be de-motivating.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior

When trying to read behavior, recognize that while body language can give clues to
motivation levels, it can also be misread. More concrete signals will be provided by the
ways in which individuals perform their tasks: this is likely to give you the clearest
indication of their motivation. Someone who works cheerfully and efficiently is unlikely to
be hiding anything if they greet you with a smile. Likewise, a dour facial expression
should only be interpreted adversely if combined with a grumpy “That’s-not-my-job”
attitude to work.

Look for positive responses to any

criticisms – they are good signs of
motivation in staff.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Positive motivation is often signaled by positive gestures: a smile,
an eager pose, and a relaxed manner. When people carry out a
task in which they are interested or enthusiastic, they may have
a “sparkle” in the eyes, since their pupils actually enlarge.
Confident eye contact is also important as a measure of
motivation: de-motivated people are less likely to look you
straight in the eye. Blushing can indicate pleasure, while an
increased rate of breathing can indicate enthusiasm – both of
these are good signs of motivation.

Maintain eye contact with your

staff whenever you speak with
them.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Recognizing Motivation
Motivation can be recognized in a number of ways – look particularly
for signs that your staff feel useful, optimistic, or able to take
opportunities. A team in which each member looks after the others’
interests is likely to be a good source of motivation. Look for evidence
that your staff are satisfied in their jobs rather than anxious or
frustrated. If you find no such signs, ask them whether they are
satisfied. You can also establish a good idea of an individual’s level of
motivation by their attitude towards work.

Ask your staff if any changes at

work would help to motivate them.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Recognizing Motivation
The statements below are all indicative of motivated staff members:
They freely volunteer effort and ideas, as well as other contributions;
They always react well to requests and new assignments;
Recognizing A Motivated Worker: A tidy,
They work to achieve, not “to rule”; organized work space and a well-
groomed appearance can indicate a
They seem to be happy at work; positive attitude to work. A tidy desk is a
sign of a motivated worker who wishes to
They always respond frankly to questions. be able to find the things they need
easily, while attention to personal
appearance suggests high level of
commitment to the job.

Learn to see difference between

work problems and personal ones.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Recognizing Motivation
Reducing De-motivation
Workplace de-motivation for many people tends to be
caused by poor systems or work overload. Very clear signs
of de-motivation include high levels of absenteeism and
quick turnover of staff. Recognizing de-motivation is
pointless unless you intend to eradicate its causes.
Remember, too, that poor behavior and underperformance
are not necessarily signs of workplace de-motivation. If de-
motivation remains even when the situation is improved, it
may be due to personal problems.

Keep work as varied as possible

to avoid causing de-motivation.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Recognizing Motivation
Reducing De-motivation
Seeing Negative Signs
De-motivation may not always be signposted, but look out for defensive,
protective actions, such as folding the arms when seated or clenching fists
involuntarily. Inattention, the first sign of de-motivation, may be seem in facial
expressions, through tapping fingers and restlessness are also negative
indicators. A sloppy, “couldn’t-care-less” attitude and a lack of enthusiasm for
work may also be observed. A monotonous tone of voice may tell of
boredom, but be aware also of signs of aggression, such as chopping motions
of the hand or pointing a finger in an accusatory manner.

Trust departures and absenteeism

as warning signs of de-motivation.
 Motivating People
Understanding Behavior
Reading Behavior
Seeing Enthusiasm
Recognizing Motivation
Reducing De-motivation
Seeing Negative Signs
Measuring Morale
It is important to measure workplace morale on a regular basis to discover if
and why staff are experience problems. However, if you experience a rise in
departures, suspect that motivation is low, or find that absenteeism is
increasing, do not wait to take the workplace “temperature”: do it now. You
may wish to try using employee attitude surveys; these give a broad indication
of morale but can be lengthy and costly. Read the signs from your own talks
with people, or set up focus groups or one-to-one interviews. Another way to
measure morale is to take a random opinion poll. Remember, however, that if
you investigate staff attitudes you must act on the findings, or risk causing
further de-motivation.
 Motivating People
Building Up Motivation
Assessing Your Attitude
Before staff can be receptive to your motivational
techniques, you must make sure that the environment in
which they work meets a number of important human needs.

It is important that you understand your attitude towards

your subordinates. Your thinking will be influenced by your
experience, and will shape the way in which you behave
towards all the people you meet.

Ensure staff know both their

role and its importance.
 Motivating People
Building Up Motivation
Assessing Your Attitude
Knowing Your Style
The forces that drive managers will strongly influence
motivational behavior. It is important therefore, understand your
own assumptions and priorities, paying particular attention to
your personal and corporate ambitions, so you can motivate
others effectively. If you put your job first, you are probably
highly motivated and know your career will benefit from success.
However, success is not just about meeting task objectives, but
also about building an efficient, creative team that will succeed
even in your absence. For this, a “share-and-collaborate” style
may be more effective that an authoritarian “command-and-
control” method.

Never accept any weakness as one

that you cannot correct and cure.
 Motivating People
Building Up Motivation
Assessing Your Attitude
Knowing Your Style
Evaluating Your Tendencies
Theorist Douglas McGregor defined two set of management styles,
which he labeled Theory X and Theory Y. Theory-X managers believe
their staff respond mainly to the rewarding carrot and the disciplinary
stick. Theory-Y Managers, however, believe their staff work a source of
satisfaction and will strive to do their very best at all times. Most people
are not entirely X or Y, but fall somewhere in between. The X and Y
theories apply not only to individuals but to organizations as well;
indeed, Theory-X manager and habits will often be found in Theory-Y
organizations, and vice versa. Study the statements below to judge
which of the theories best describes you and your organization.

Improve order and control by

using collaborative management.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager

Managers often go on courses to learn leadership, but good

leaders are not necessarily good managers. Leadership is only one
part of being a manager, and while a successful manager needs
leadership skills, other abilities are equally important.

Do not just assume you are

“visible” – ensure that it is the
true.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager
Managing To Motivate
An essential foundation for motivation is a positive workplace
environment created by you the manager. Employees have the right
to expect fair treatment and understanding. They also expect
professional competence, part of which includes delegating tasks in
order to increase staff members’ self-management and participation.
Establish a system that is constructive – not obstructive – in
Ascertain where your employees’ strengths and interests lie, then
delegate responsibilities that will both exploit these and meet the
needs of the organization.

If bad results occur,

review your own motivation
as well as employees’.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager
Managing To Motivate
Points to Remember
A poor system accounts for 85 percent of all under-performance.
People will not perform at the best for uncommitted managers.
Staff should be treated as friends, allies, partners, and colleagues.
It is important to have clear directives from your managers, to help
you to give clear orders.
The team’s objectives are objectives are everybody’s business, not
just the manager’s.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager
Managing To Motivate
Treating Staff Well
When considering how best to treat your staff member the old adage, “Do unto others
as you would be done by”. Demonstrate trust in your staff, and prove your self worthy
of trust. This trust includes, on the part of the manager:
• Never making promises that you are not able or are not intending to keep.
• Never asking others to do anything that you would not do yourself.
• Ensuring your people know that they can count on your respect and your loyalty,
unless and until they prove undeserving.
To the best of your ability, see to it that working conditions, pay and status issues, job
security, and working atmosphere are managed promptly and in a way that is
comfortable to employees. Deal with personal problems, which arise from time to time,
in a sympathetic and positive manner.

Show respect to your

staff, and they will show it
to you.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager
Managing To Motivate
Treating Staff Well
Cultural Differences
The command-and-control style of management still prevails in the
US, despite the more relaxed style found on the West Coast. Japan
uniquely combines domination with participation. Collaborative ideas
have gained more ground in the UK than in Germany and the rest
of Europe.

Calculating Your Motivation

Staff will not commit to an uncommitted manager, so it is important that you
motivate yourself as well as others. Consider the question, “Am I committed to my
objectives and my staff?” The account of energy you put into your work will
indicate your level of motivation. If you are reluctant to begin necessary tasks,
unable to take decisions, or prefer office over achievement, these are all signs
that you are de-motivated.
 Motivating People
Being A Good Manager
Managing To Motivate
Treating Staff Well
Harnessing Motivation
Motivation depends on having clear objectives, which will be
achieved with good management. Since motivation is personal, aim
to align staff’s individual drives with the company’s purpose in
general and your unit’s in particular.
In “Management be Objective” (MBO) systems, objectives are
written down for each level of the organization, and individuals are
given specific aims and targets. The principle behind this is to
ensure that people know what the organization is trying to achieve,
what their part of the organization must do to meet those aims, and
how, as individuals, they are expected to help. This presupposes
that the organization’s programs and methods have been fully
considered. If they have not, start by constructing team objectives
and ask team members to share in the process.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication

Not communicating at all conveys a very powerful message – the last

one that a committed manager wants to deliver. You can never
communicate too much, but take care over the content and delivery
of a message so that it inspires motivation upon its reception.

Strengthen your message

by using several means of
communication.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
The ideal approach when providing information is that everyone
should know about everything that concerns them directly or
indirectly, in full and accurate detail, as soon as possible. Always aim
for ideal: overkill is better than under-provision. Preselect the
information that your staff have told you they want – responding to
demand is motivational – as well as the information that you want
them to know. Once these lists of requirements are established,
supply regular updates. Set up a help desk for “other queries”, and
always inform before rumors arise.

When a referee has reservations, always probe more deeply.

Encourage your staff to participate in decision-making.

 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
Using Open Management

The open system of management, which encourages the exchange of

information and views between team members, allows managers and
staff to work together creatively. Problems can be discussed and
decisions reached quickly and easily. To achieve this, try to make your
office open - plan - this will facilitate collaboration. You may also wish
to leave your office door open whenever you are available to speak to
staff; if this is not practical, make appointments with staff, and keep
them.

Keep staff informed whenever

possible – uncertainties are very
de-motivating.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
Using Open Management
Promoting Discussion
Motivational management encourages and guides discussion about further
involvement and contribution. Even issues that are dealt with by formal
channels have probably been discussed informally. To this end, it is just as
important to have informal talks with your staff as formal team meetings.
Invite discussion by posing questions and seeking opinions. Treat contrary
views with respect, and when you disagree, explain why fully.

Encourage disagreement – it
often paves the way to consensus.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
Using Open Management
Promoting Discussion
Making Time Available
Communicating and thinking are important activities in motivational management.
Try to avoid becoming so preoccupied with your workload that you run out time
for these activities. Keep a diary in which you analyze your working week.
Eliminate or shorten activities where possible, in order to leave more time for
communication and through. Set aside time for at least one face – to – face
discussion or coaching session each week. Remember that to motivate your staff
fully it is important to be visible, approachable and unhurried at all times.

Make time to stop and chat

rather than simply greeting
staff.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
Using Open Management
Promoting Discussion
Making Time Available
Communicating Well
To motivate team members, engage them in decisions that might
affect them, instead of merely informing them after the fact. If
people express concern about a new policy, ask how you can allay
their concerns. Undertake to report back on any problems that they
pinpoint, and let them know how you plan to proceed, using their
input. Involving staff from an early stage encourages all members
to feel that they can make a difference.

Always ask staff for their opinions

about decisions that affect them.
 Motivating People
Improving Communication
Providing Information
Using Open Management
Promoting Discussion
Making Time Available
Communicating Well
Avoiding Office Politics
Many work group are highly political. Members jockey for position, from
cliques, spread rumors, curry favors , and backbite. Do not get involved in
office politics; indeed, discourage them at every opportunity. Any personal
advantage that you may gain will be outweighed by the long-term damage to
the organization as energies are diverted away from business. The
motivational manager must from business. The motivational manager must
concentrate on clearly communicated purposes and not allow any deviation
from the behavior that promotes those purposes.

Be aware of office politics, and set an

example by never taking part yourself.
 Motivating People
Creating A No-Blame Culture

Anyone with responsibility – including yourself – must accept their

failures. However, to motivate effectively you need a culture in which
no blame is laid for failure. Errors should be recognized, then used to
improve changes of future success.

Do not gamble, but combine

risks with excellent planning.
 Motivating People
Creating A No-Blame Culture
Accepting Risks

Management by motivation hinges on delegation and runs two risks:

the delegate entrusted with the mission may fail; and the task may
fail. To maximize changes of success, you must understand the nature
of true risk. This should be a calculated step, not a gamble. Ensure
the delegate is fully briefed before starting the task. Assess the
situation, and take action only when the possible and probable
outcomes have been systematically weighed and success appears
extremely likely. Anything less is generally poor management.

Praise work well done, even

is some targets are missed.
 Motivating People
Creating A No-Blame Culture
Accepting Risks
Learning From Mistakes

The lessons of failure are valuable, not only to the individuals

involved, but also to the organization. Discuss the reasons for failure,
so that you can eliminate them and strengthen the platform for
success. Taking a constructive and sympathetic attitude to failure will
motivate and encourage staff. If you choose to punish failure or
motivate by fear, you will not create lasting success. However, make it
clear that tolerance of error has its limits. Repetition of the same error
is inexcusable, since it shows failure to learn from mistakes.

Take risk only when the

chances of success are high.
 Motivating People
Creating A No-Blame Culture
Accepting Risks
Learning From Mistakes
Using Action Review
Action review is the process of systematically reviewing the success or
failure of any project in order to learn from mistakes. The selected
participants in the review agree on the lessons to be learned. These are
put on record and circulated everyone involved in the project, helping
to establish what went right and what went wrong, and the reasons
why. Use action review to inform staff what they should and should not
do in future, and to spotlight the parts of the system that are in need of
reform.

Be firm but fair when you

are drawing attention to error,
and do not pull any punches.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation

The basic component of a motivational environment is co-operation,

which you must give to your staff, as well as expert from them. It is still
essential to be in control and to support your staff while doing so, but
be sure not to damage workplace motivation.

Find the root cause of

repeated complaints, and
eradicate it quickly.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff

Two key motivational questions to ask your staff are: “What do I

do that stops you from doing a better job?” and “What should I
do to help you perform better?” If you co-operate by acting on
the answers, for example by investing in new tools or training if
requested, you can bring about major improvements in
motivation. Not acting on such feedback will de-motivate. The
prime objective is to help staff to help themselves.

Always check that your wishes have

been understood.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Levels of control vary from an insistence on checking and
approving every action, to laissez-faire, in which people are free
to perform as they wish and be judged only by the results.
Increase motivation by moving towards less rather than more
control. To do this, discuss and agree tasks, objectives, and
methods beforehand, the allow implementation to proceed
independently, subject only to reports on progress and major
deviations. In case of problems, do not rebuke, but consider
potential remedies.

Inform staff of the use of their

ideas – and success rates.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Being Genuine

Feigning a cheerful manner to help you to win co-operation can backfire. For
example, you may feel that you are successfully hiding the fact that you are
tense, but those around you can tell – by your body language and voice tones –
that you are faking. A forced smile is often easily recognizable. Try to be open in
your appearance and behavior.

Have a good reason and an

explanation for refusing a
request.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Being Genuine
Using Voice Tone
Always match your tone of voice to the message you are delivering. A genuine smile is audible in
the voice, and staff will be more willing to co-operate with a friendly manager. Do not drop your
voice at the end of a sentence: it can be dispiriting. Try not to sound worried, or everyone
listening will worry. Before an encounter, ask another person to listen as you rehearse, and give
you advice, if necessary, on how to sound positive.

Never offer to finance

anything unless you can raise
the funds.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Being Genuine
Using Voice Tone
Supporting Your Staff
If your staff believe that you are standing in their careers path, they will rapidly
become de-motivated. Part of your job is to foster their careers, so you must
repress the urge to keep very good people for yourself. Support and encourage
your staff, and make the case for them to your seniors if necessary. Remember,
through, not to agree to anything that you. Actions such as this can undermine
your authority, and inflict a level of motivational damage that cannot be
recouped.

Consider ideas form staff at all levels

of seniority.
 Effective Leadership
Delegating Tasks

Checking Progress with Delegates

When discussing progress with delegates, use positive questions, such as those
below, that will encourage delegates to suggest their own solutions to
problems. Avoid question that may discourage or demoralize the delegate.

“Is there anything you want to bring to my notice?”

“We failed to meet that target. Any suggestions as to how that might have
happened?”
“I see that costs are overrunning. What steps are taking to bring them back in
line?”
“How do you thank we can avoid making mistake again?”
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Being Genuine
Using Voice Tone
Supporting Your Staff
Taking An Overview
When analyzing staff motivation, stand back and look at
the overall situation. Do not concentrate solely on one set
of needs – whether they be team, individual, and results
achieved. Above all, ask lots of questions – you will then
form a picture of how the system operates and how well it
works.

Make use of the positive

elements of each person.
 Motivating People
Winning Co-operation
Help Staff
Moving Control Levels
Being Genuine
Using Voice Tone
Supporting Your Staff
Taking An Overview
Using Free Incentives To Win Co-operation
Free or easy-to-supply incentives way to win and maintain co-
operation. Start by thanking people for a job well done, and follow
this up with a written acknowledgment. It comes hard to many
managers, but is an essential counterweight to criticism. Other
ways to increase co-operation include acknowledging staff
achievements publicly and holding specific meetings for the
purpose of boosting morale. Be friendly and polite at all times –
bad manners de-motivate – and deal sympathetically with personal
requests, such as time off for a special purpose. Play the helpful
friend, not demanding employer, in these circumstances
 Motivating People
Encouraging Initiative

A sure of high motivation is a lot of initiative. The ability to take

initiative depends on empowerment as well as an environment that
recognizes contribution. The more you expect of people, the more
they will give, as long as you support them.

Give people the opportunity

to use their own initiative
whenever possible.
 Motivating People
Encouraging Initiative
Asking For Suggestions
The result from one survey showed that in the typical company only 4
percent of the ideas for improvement ever reach the top. Do not let that
happen. Invite suggestions via a suggestion box, or hold
brainstorming ,meetings. Respond positively to all volunteered ideas. If
at all possible, accept each suggestion, even if it must be modified. If
you must reject any ideas, explain to the staff why – and do it with
sincere regret.

Acknowledge all suggestion

box ideas immediately –
handle any rejections tactful.
 Motivating People
Encouraging Initiative
Asking For Suggestions
Setting High Targets

If you think small, that is how you are likely to end up. Set high
expectations, and you will find that people rise to the challenge. If you
let present performance become your benchmark, your team may never
achieve its full potential. However, high expectations must be realistic or
demoralization will result. Encourage continuous improvement, until it
becomes second nature to the organization.

Encourage staff to achieve by

setting high but realistic targets.
 Motivating People
Encouraging Initiative
Asking For Suggestions
Setting High Targets
Achieving The Impossible
Sometime it is possible to achieve what may seem, at first glance, to
be impossible. In this example, the new chief executive successfully
motivated the organization’s workforce, who took a challenge to its
heart and turned around an entire market. It is quite possible that
without the extra effort the organization would have collapsed, with
disastrous results for all.

Do not be too fast in

accepting “No” for a answer.
 Motivating People
Encouraging Initiative
Asking For Suggestions
Setting High Targets
Achieving The Impossible
Once you have encouraged initiative and set targets, performance
should improve. If there is no discernible improvement, look more
closely at the present system, as it may be blocking progress. If so,
sweep it away, start afresh, and set new, higher benchmarks. Ask
colleagues with high performance records what systems they suggest,
and implement the best practice. Both the investigation and the
implementation will score high motivationally. A high target set by the
staff themselves is a great incentive.

Give your staff a say in the

setting of targets.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
People are capable of remarkable achievement, significantly ahead of previous
performance, if they are provided with the right environment and given the
right motivational leadership.

Trying to motivate individuals is always tricky because of the variations

between them, and how they interact with your own personality and
motivation. Remember at all times to serve your ultimate interest – obtaining
the right outcome.

Stretch people goals that

push them to perform better.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
To motivate well, start by assessing the individuals in your team.
Once you have done so, you will have a far better ideas of the best
ways in which to motivate them to achieve their maximum potential.
Always approach people without preconceptions, and concentrate
your attention on performance – not on personality, habits, or
physical appearance. Liking people is a valuable quality in a good
leader, favoritism is not. It de-motivates the un-favored and may
make the favorite unpopular within the team. Avoid accepting a third
party’s judgment of a member of staff, make up your own mind.

Make the most of the new staff by

first making them feel welcome.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
Recognizing Differences
To achieve the best results form each individual, it is important that
you recognize their specific motives, and treat people on their own
merits. Differences in behavior may be influenced by age, gender,
and position on the career ladder.
Give tasks to the most suitable people. For example, a gregarious
person will be best at a task that involves meeting people, while
someone with a quiet personality may appreciate being given a task
that mainly involves working alone. Do not shy away from giving
tasks that may develop skills and increase motivated

From your own opinions of

your colleagues and staff.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
Recognizing Differences
Tailoring Your Actions
Different people want their managers to play different roles. One may seek
a parent – Figure, while another wants to probe his or her capability. A
third may be looking for reassurance. If the role makes sense in
management terms, play it. You have to be both soft and hard. Use the
appropriate management style for each individual. It is not necessary for
everyone on the team to like you, but they must like working for you.
Achieve this through firmness as well as friendliness.

Be as natural as possible, but tailor

your approach to each individual.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
Recognizing Differences
Tailoring Your Actions
There are many incentives you offer to help motivate people, and each has
different effect. Some of those commonly used include recognition, money,
health and family benefits, and insurance. There tends, however, to be a
dividing line between financial and non-financial incentives. If you are not
in a position to offer financial incentives like pay rises and bonuses it is still
possible to motivate staff by ensuring that the non-financial incentives you
offer are attractive to the potential recipient. For example, you might
allocate a parking space to someone who drives to work. Think about the
general and specific requirement of your staff.

Remember that what you measure

and reward is what you get.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
Recognizing Differences
Tailoring Your Actions
Setting Realistic Goals
Motivate both teams and individuals by involving them in deciding on budgets, targets, and
other goals. Find the right combination of target and reward – one that will maximize effort
and achieve economic returns for the company – remembering that no scheme linking
rewards to goals can work well unless both aims and thresholds are realistic and fair. For
example, if you are trying to make cost savings, advise the team of present cost levels, give
them a target figure to work towards, and tell them the figure for the company as a whole.
Offer a proportion of their target savings as a reward.

Do not put a ceiling on incentives

– it limits motivation.
 Motivating People
Getting The Best From People
Motivating Individuals
Assessing Individuals
Recognizing Differences
Tailoring Your Actions
Setting Realistic Goals
Making Incentives Work

If your staff are earning good rates of pay, have interesting and responsible jobs, and
recognition from you as their manager for work well done, they should perform well without
constant offers of new incentives. Reserve exceptional effort is required to meet demanding
targets. Do not allow staff to expect special rewards for simply doing their jobs.
 Motivating People
Motivating Groups

People behave differently in groups. Mob hysteria is one example. Its

benevolent opposite is the spirit of togetherness that can animate group of
any size. Motivate staff by mobilizing support for their group aims and setting
strategies for tackling objectives.

Ambition dictates
achievement so be sure to
encourage big ambitions.
 Motivating People
Motivating Groups
Leading A Team
Within any group one person is usually singled out as the team leader. That may be
you, but if you have several teams working for you, nominate a leader for each.
Always be positive with the leaders. Meet regularly with them and the team, and
keep motivation levels high by involving everyone in decision-making, praising them
for their team’s good work, and pointing them in the right direction when things go
astray. However, remember that if motivation is poor, it is the leader who is at
fault. He or she should be aware of any problems within the group and should be
the one responsible for keeping things in check.

Confront trouble-makers as
soon as you become aware of
their presence .
 Motivating People
Motivating Groups
Leading A Team
Changing Systems

Sometimes, if your system fails, say, the only solution may be to start
afresh. It should not be necessary to get rid of a whole team, nor
even any individuals. Indeed, these courses of action may de-
motivate further. The problem is usually that good people are
trapped in a bad system, rather than vice versa. Listen to your staff’s
problems. Once the initial period of complaint is over, and the
genuine cause start to surface, they will point the right way to
reform. The more the “brave new world” is their own, the better the
individuals will feel about – and perform under – the new system.
 Motivating People
Motivating Groups
Leading A Team
Changing Systems
Stretching Goals
A positive state of mind is crucial in reaching goals, so try to instill this in your
team. The group that is motivated by a shared vision, and that has translated
that vision, into practical objectives will notice – and take – more opportunities
than one lacking that double focus. Join with others in shaping the vision and
the plan. Then encourage and enthuse, so that the reality matches up to the
dream. It is important when setting goals not to stop short of the group’s
capability, indeed you should go slightly beyond. For example, a sports coach
may set a goal for his or her team to reach the final of a tournament and
encourage the players to believe in the aim. The danger is that once in the final
the group will feel the goal has been reached., whereas they should strive to
win that game, too.

Cure any bad systems as a first step to

conquering poor morale.
 Motivating People
Motivating Groups
Leading A Team
Changing Systems
Stretching Goals
Achieving “Impossible” Goals
In order to achieve stretching goals, first set yourself or your team a target that
you deem to be “perfection”; this is a goal that you will probably never reach.
Make this “impossible” goal less daunting by setting another goal: to be halfway
to perfection by the end of the first year. This halfway once achieved, then
becomes the starting point for year two, so set another halfway goal. Motivate
staff by celebrating each halfway achievement.

If de-motivation occurs, consider

changing your business system.
 Motivating People
Preventing Demotivation
The course of people management seldom runs smooth, and emotions often
runs smooth, and emotions often run high on both sides of the process. The
most valuable technique you can use for preventing de-motivation is a
sympathetic and understanding human response.

Do not wait for annual appraisals to

talk about staff performance.
 Motivating People
Preventing Demotivation
Using Interviews
If you find it difficult to motivate a member of staff, try to establish whether
they feel – and are being utilized fully as – part of the team. Arrange an
interview with the person involved, leaving them in no doubt about its purpose.
Eliminate any fears they may have by striking a positive note at once. Ask them
whether they are happy with their working conditions and whether there are
any aspects of their job they would like to change. Do what you to improve the
situation, and keep any promises you make at the interview.

Talk about work-related problems to

prevent them from becoming more
intense.
 Motivating People
Preventing Demotivation
Using Interviews
Talking Face to Face
During the interview, the interviewee will hardly ever reply just as expected.
However emotional they are, stay calm and collected. Try to establish the
reasons for their dissatisfaction as fully as possible. Listen carefully to what
they have to say, and try to agree on a resolution. Always be sure to get
feedback from interviewees before they leave to room, in order to avoid further
misunderstandings by either party. As they depart, remind them that they can
come directly to you to talk about any future problems.

Allow people to talk about what de-

motivates them, and listen carefully.
 Motivating People
Preventing Demotivation
Using Interviews
Talking Face to Face
Tackling Problems
Personal difficulties and workplace problems are both potential causes of de-
motivation at work. Never ignore your staff’s emotional strains, even if
performance is going well, because there is a high probability that the personal
troubles will eventually affect work. Your first responsibility must be to the job.
At same time, you must also look after the individual. Approach emotional
upsets in the same way as workplace difficulties. First, get the problem clearly
defined, then seek the root cause. See if there is a solution that the individual
will accept. If so, act upon it. It is important not to let the situation worsen. If
you are unable to provide enough help, make sure that you find someone who
can.

Bad news always travels fast, so

deliver it as quickly as possible.
 Motivating People
Preventing Demotivation
Using Interviews
Talking Face to Face
Tackling Problems
This case study shows the principles of communicating change and bad news.
Deliver bad news quickly, counteracting it with incentives if possible. Tell
everyone what is happening, why, and what results you expect, placing
emphasis on benefits. This will help to prevent de-motivation.

Emphasize to staff the benefits of all

reforms, however unwelcome.
 Motivating People
Dealing with De-motivated People
Identifying Causes
However hard you try to prevent staff de-motivation, you will not always
succeed. Ways of dealing with de-motivated people depend on the situation. A
personality clash between staff members needs different treatment than de-
motivation caused by stress.

Assess the reasons for de-motivation

before considering any action.
De-motivation must first be analyzed before you can do anything about it. It
may be caused by stress., emotional problems, or physical illness.
Alternatively, there may be something wrong with the job itself, or with the
person’s approach to it. Talk to the de-motivated person in order to identify
where the problem lies, and tailor the remedy to the cause, for example by
arranging secretarial help for someone who is overworked.
 Motivating People
Dealing with De-motivated People
Identifying Causes
Encouraging Teamwork
When two members of your staff seem to be constantly at loggerheads,
masterly tact is usually required to replace the element of confrontation with
collaboration. One course of action is to move the couple into a larger team,
insisting that they co-operate with and not ignore each other. Another approach
is to have the two people swap roles for a while, so that they can gain an
understanding of each other’s workload. If all else fails, separate the two
warring parties permanently to avoid disrupting the work of the entire team.

Assess the reasons for de-motivation

before considering any action.
 Motivating People
Dealing with De-motivated People
Identifying Causes
Encouraging Teamwork
Counseling Staff Members
To cope with the trauma that follows job loss, counseling has become more
commonly available in organizations, allowing workers to discuss their reactions
to a difficult situation with an impartial, sympathetic listener. You might
consider providing counseling as a service even to those whose jobs are secure.
They may need to discuss workplace or personal problems that are causing
them to feel de-motivated. Ideally, a person’s counselor will be somebody from
outside the company. If there is no option but to use a counselor who is also a
member of staff, they must not have direct or indirect responsibility for the
work of the person who is being counseled. Remember that older or more
experienced staff members may prefer to talk with a counselor of comparable
age and experience.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job

As well as looking at ways to motivate your team as a whole, also need to look
at ways to develop individuals and their jobs. Conduct a through evaluation of
all aspects of each job as well as of the organization’s overall system.

Regard grading and similar systems

with caution – not as sacred.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Your organization may run its job and reward stem in a rigid, graded way. And
you may be in a situation where almost all of the factors are outside your
control. If that is the case, make the most of the rewards that you are able to
distribute. If you are in a position to make such decisions, remember that
grading jobs and their occupants, and assigning to each grade a salary band
may be useful. However, aim to keep the number of grades as small as possible
(in extreme cases, a large organization can have a huge number) the pay bands
as wide as possible, and the importance to staff of the grading system as low as
possible.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
The key point to remember when evaluating jobs is that the job is more
important than the grade, which is merely an administrative convenience. The
lure of rising one or two grades may well be motivational, but rules for how
many grades staff can advance at any one time, or stating that “a lower grade
cannot be manage of a higher grade” , are nonsensical and un-necessary. Get
the right person in the right job, and make it clear that the grade goes with the
job, not vice versa. If you ask someone what their job is, and they reply, “I’m
an 8”, take corrective measures.

Pay your staff members for

responsibility and contribution, not for
seniority and status.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
Designing Jobs
Jobs exit to fill roles. If you are in the position of designing a job, your first task
is to assign and clarify the job’s role and its relationship to the overall task. Be
as clear as possible about what the job entails. Every job has its own skills,
necessary knowledge, and attributes, so be sure to specify them. There may
also be certain legal requirements, terms and conditions of service, and other
company stipulations with which the job must comply. Finally, remember that
jobs and their occupants both need regular modification – and sometimes
radical change – over the course of time.

Do not allow job specifications to be

perceived as “strait-jack”.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
Designing Jobs
Defining Performance
Part of the process of evaluating an existing job – or defining the ideal for a new job –
involves looking at past performance levels and deciding what new qualities or task are
needed to improve them. Arriving at a single measure of performance is difficult. Financial
results are the best all-inclusive measure, but do not rely solely on them, since they will
convey the wrong message – that only profit counts. They also neglect to show that good
short – term results can be gained through bad management, such as cutting back on
investment or understaffing. To measure quality, rather than just quantity, include staff
morale, customer satisfaction, inter-term collaboration, and specific project results as
measures of performance.

Ensure that jobs offer a wide range of

stimulation and variation.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
Designing Jobs
Defining Performance
Considering Pay
When staff members are asked what would raise their motivation, many say,” more
money”, but money has only a short-term motivational effect. Use pay to reflect good
performance, and remember that other motivators may be more effective. The key phase
is “individual circumstances”. When you ask a special effort of an individual, however,
offering a cash reward in return may work well.

Get the money right, or everything

else could easily go wrong.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
Designing Jobs
Defining Performance
Considering Pay
Considering Pay Packages
Basic salary rises can dominate pay negotiations. However, wise employers (and wise
employees) look at the value of the total package when recruiting and promoting. The
other elements, in addition to the basic salary, can be decisive. Share schemes and
pension schemes are very attractive, and non-financial benefits can also be valuable.
Ensure that the package you offer compares well with industry and other norms. A
competitive par package can be a highly effective motivating tool.

Watch costs of fringe benefits –

unwatched, they tend to soar.
 Motivating People
Evaluating Each Job
Using Grading Systems
Putting The Job First
Designing Jobs
Defining Performance
Considering Pay
Considering Pay Packages
Avoiding Secrecy
Secrecy is one factor that makes pay a managerial minefield. Usually, people do not know what other
people in a unit – or an organization – earn. They tend to make wrong guessed, or else they find out
and then feel aggrieved by what they discover. Openness is a great way to promote a sense of
fairness. People can accept the principle of unequal pay for unequal achievement, but only in an
atmosphere of consensus and cohesion. Encourage both by ensuring that pay levels are discussed
openly and with full information. The feelings involved can be painful and deep, through, so treat
perceptions of unfairness accordingly. Be sympathetic with people who feel unfairly paid, even when
nothing can or should be done.

If you are the highest payer, be sure to get the

highest results.
 Motivating People
Enriching Jobs
One way to improve motivation is to enrich jobs. The
“scientific” management school divided work into
component parts, at which each worker, by repetition,
became proficient – and bored. Aim for variety, multi-
skilling, and high interest levels.

Delegate whole tasks to improve efficiency and

motivation.
 Motivating People
Enriching Jobs
Raising Interest Levels

The interest in a job depends on the content of the work, its complexity, and the sense of
achievement generated by successful completion. You will not raise an assembly line worker’s interest,
for example, by adding one more repetitive task. Instead, put staff in a manufacturing cell with six
people, say, each with interchangeable skills, and make that group responsible for an entire
subassembly. That will raise interest levels in the same way as giving a wine-shop assistant expertise
in the wines carried. Ideally, give difficult-yet-double jobs to somebody whose personal drive will be
engaged by the task.

Give staff every opportunity to use newly acquired

skills once training has finished.
 Motivating People
Enriching Jobs
Raising Interest Levels
Developing Skills

The more varied the job content, the greater the need for new skills.
Try to apply multidisciplinary, cross-functional working in terms. This
helps to develop new skills, which may need formal training. Although
training may take staff members away from their workloads, it is
beneficial in adding to variety and is essentially motivational. Encourage
everybody to think of portable skills as their personal capital. Consider
making the acquisition of new skills an element in bonuses and pay
rises. With good management, the acquired skills of each staff member
will more than justify the extra rewards.
 Motivating People
Enriching Jobs
Raising Interest Levels
Developing Skills
Providing Variety

If you give a whole task to one person, instead of splitting it between

several, it will add more variety and responsibility to their job. It is also
a good way of increasing staff involvement and commitment levels as
well as developing otherwise unused skills. Provide variety by giving
people new tasks, making them members of quality and other project
teams, sending them on customer visits, sending principle is to
stimulate enthusiasm.
 Motivating People
Enriching Jobs
Raising Interest Levels
Developing Skills
Providing Variety
Asking For Suggestions
Encouraging people to use their initiative to improve efficiency enriches
jobs and increases variety. Ask staff for suggestions, and, if possible,
act on the answers you receive. Feeling comfortable making
suggestions is enriching in itself. Constantly looking to see how a task
can be improved adds to the variety. Beware, through, that an
atmosphere that has been unresponsive in the past may restrain
people from volunteering ideas.

When an idea is accepted, let its creator implement

the suggestion.
 Motivating People
Empowering Staff

Most organizations run on rulings that are passed down to the staff
from top management; this is de-motivating. In contrast, delegating
powers traditionally kept at the top not only motivates, but also raises
everyone’s levels of performance.

Ensure your staff do not suffer under externally

imposed limitations.
 Motivating People
Empowering Staff
Encouraging Input

In most cases, people are experts in their jobs, having improved their
skills over time, and they are perfectly capable of both suggesting
improvements and implementing those changes. Use these people
when seeking improvement. If their knowledge is ignored, staff become
de-motivated by the neglect, and resistant to change imposed from
outside. Consult with those affected before making changes, and
encourage them to take full responsibility for redesigning their jobs.

Find out about a job from the person doing it.

 Motivating People
Empowering Staff
Encouraging Input
Delegating Authority

Being managed is not in itself a motivating experience. If you are a

wise, stimulating manager, those who work for you will be well
motivated. However, the more authority is retained at the top, the
lower motivation will be. Staff become used to depending on their
manager’s decisions and authorization, blunting their own initiative and
making them dependent. Exercise authority, but not unnecessary force,
to achieve desired results. Sharing authority helps to develop people’s
own talents. Delegate downwards any tasks that you do not have to do
yourself. Look also for whole areas of authority that can be delegated,
but always retain overall control.
 Motivating People
Empowering Staff
Encouraging Input
Delegating Authority
Raising Issues
Encourage your team to come to you with changes they would like to
make to work procedures; discuss their proposals with your senior if
necessary. This system is know as “bottom-up” management.
Team suggests to manager a change in work procedures
Senior manager, via manager, allows team to try new system
Team reports results to manager, who discusses them with

senior
Senior approves new system to be implemented permanently
 Motivating People
Empowering Staff
Encouraging Input
Delegating Authority
Raising Issues
Using Upward Appraisal
Appraisal of supervisor by their subordinates has achieved wide
publicity. It has been installed in many organizations, either by itself or
as part of a system in which everyone appraises each other. Do not
regard this type of appraises each other. Do not regard this type of
appraisal as a cure-all; use it instead to draw attention to areas of
potential improvement, and to give a different perspective to the
manager-staff relationship. Do not allow the process to be used to
settle old scores, or people may find it too embarrassing to use
properly. A constructive working environment should support and
exploit upward appraisal.
 Motivating People
Building Careers

The ideal career path is smooth and clear of obstacles. Such a path can
be highly motivating: encourage your staff to fellow it by offering them
the support they need to develop the abilities that well ultimately take
them on and up.

Find an assignment for anyone who has not had

one in the past year.
 Motivating People
Building Careers
Using Assignments

On of the best ways of helping staff in their career progress is by

issuing short-term “assignments”, which give people the change to
show both their mettle and their ability. Opportunities of this type are
fewer under the old-style, hierarchical methods of career development
in which people stay in one job for a set length of time before moving
up the ladder. Look out for any chance to broaden staff confidence and
experience by giving people tasks, either singly or in a group, that lie
outside their normal work. Take an interest in their progress, and
debrief often. While your staff are learning, you learn what they can do.

Encourage your staff to enroll for regular training –

it will pave the way to future success.
 Motivating People
Building Careers
Using Assignments
Widening Perspectives
Most people – possibly unconsciously - undergo a process of self-
actualization, moving by trial and error towards the field that suits them
best and in which they can achieve to the utmost of their ability. As
they grow out of one “phase”, they move on. Most people start out with
a narrow range of skills and interest; as that broadens, so will their
career path. Perspectives will shift, too, from short term to long. As
confidence increases, so will self-control and self-awareness. Watch for
these signs, and accentuate the positive through regular
communication. Ensure that personal goals and the job remain in step,
or the person will lose motivation and you will probably lose the person.

Do not under-use people – it causes them as much

stress as over-use.
 Motivating People
Building Careers
Using Assignments
Widening Perspectives
Getting the Most from Training
Training can be an end in itself. Learning to learn develops the mind and objectivity.
It is useful, as well, in terms of personal development, offering a sense of growth.
However, the day-day work of an organization also provides plenty of practical
reasons for training people. For example, if your company is moving from selling
commodities to marketing consumer goods, try to ensure that you and your staff are
fully trained in modern marketing techniques. Make sure that skills acquired in
training can be used directly in the job. This will overcome the familiar “re-entry”
problem of the trained individual, bursting with newly acquired knowledge, who
meets resistance when trying to implement the new-found information, gets
frustrated, and gives up. This is most de-motivating.

Utilize as many of each person’s skills as possible.

 Motivating People
Rewarding Achievement
For rewards to motivate, make sure you encourage
competition among staff be acknowledging individual
achievement and giving appropriate recognition to high-
filters.

Recognizing Excellence
In the achievement-led style of modern business, outstanding contributions from
individuals further careers and earn rewards. Any rewards, however, must be
motivational. Reward appropriately any contributions that are of genuine benefit to
the organization.

Seek early chances to promote able, younger

members of your staff.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Achievement
Emphasizing Achievement

The Japanese have one of the most hierarchical societies, and respect for one’s
elders is built into their culture. However, age does not come before ability in their
organizations. Senior earn respect, but the best-qualified person gets the job, too, is
becoming less age-led. For example, a project could be given to a young manager to
command without upsetting the hierarchy or anyone within it. To make sure talent is
allowed to develop, some seniors may have to be moved “sideways” to make room
for more able juniors on their way up.

Use monetary as flexibly as possible to get the

most of their motivational valve.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Achievement
Emphasizing Achievement
Breaking with Tradition

The traditional, hierarchical system was ideal for maintaining order within large
organizations. Command and feedback flowed through the same channels, via each
member of the hierarchy. It was an orderly method for an orderly world, but this
system is no longer appropriate. Today, quick completion of tasks is more important
than obedience to rules, and high achieves may earn more than their nominal
superiors. Encourage staff to accept the new approach, but introduce it gradually to
those who are used to the old way.

Use taskforces to develop your best people.

 Motivating People
Motivating Through Change
Change is a good way to raise levels of achievement, and few things increase staff
morale more than successful change. There are two ways to improve – gradually
and radically. You must decide which system is best for you in each situation.

Changing Gradually
The concept of continuous, gradual change (known as kaizen, from
Japanese) has become attractive to Westerners and essential to those
who adopt Total Quality Management (TQM), which is about constantly
improving every process and product by progressive methods. Kaizen,
however, is more a way of life in which all staff members are urged to
look constantly for ways to improve any element of their performance,
and to believe that nothing is the best it can be.

Take every change to preach quality and practise

improvement.
 Motivating People
Motivating Through Change
Changing Gradually
Changing Radically
Another method of change is kaikaku (Japanese for “radial change”) Kaikaku
redefines an organization’s entire business, looking at its ultimate purpose and
examining every process to see what each contributes to the final goal. It also takes
into account how that contribution can be radically improved or, in cases where the
process serves no purpose, eliminated.
The problem with kaizen, and the reason why many western companies, is that
major breakthroughs in one parts – of the system may not add up to a sizable
achievement for the organization as a whole. Kaikaku forces you to concentrate only
on those activities that add valve. Having tracked down these activities, you then fix
targets far in excess of current levels of achievement. The motivational impact of
kaikaku is enormous, but staff may be slow to accept its necessity.

Make one major change, while also going for many

small ones.
 Motivating People
Motivating Through Change
Changing Gradually
Changing Radically
Combining Techniques
The techniques of kaizen and kaikaku are not mutually exclusive. The former is a
way of life, “the way we do things round here”. Everybody accepts the principle that
every operation and product or service can always be improved, and that an
increase in efficiency will generally result in a rise in profit. That principle of kaizen is
still applied when an organization is going through radical change. To get the full
benefit of kaikaku, you will also have to use kaizen techniques in the initial
revamping and refocusing of activities. Encourage acceptance of radical change in
your staff through strategy meetings. At these meetings, it is important to make it
clear that no holds will be barred, and to encourage staff to discuss and offer
suggestions on any issues.

Ensure that all staff members are involved in

quality – improving schemes.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance

Staff members are paid for the work they do, but many employers
have incentive schemes for exceptional performance. When
considering these as an option, work out what constitutes expected
performance. When out what constitutes expected performance, and
plan a sliding scale for anything above it.

Make sure that the rewards you give are the icing –
not the cake.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance
Defining Exceptional Performance

The term “exceptional performance” is not a fixed, scientific measure. It varies from
task to task, job to job, and organization to organization. As a manager, it is
important that you recognize and reward what you consider to be genuinely
exceptional. To do this, carefully work out, and fix solidly, the levels at which both
financial and non-financial rewards are triggered off. Seek to ensure not only that
good work gets good rewards, but also that top standard are not so high as to be
impossible to achieve. You will find that a certain amount of trial and error is
inevitable in this process.

Look first at those rewards that do not cost

anything to supply.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance
Defining Exceptional Performance
Rewarding Achievement

Most incentive schemes the rewards to sales or profiles, or both. Do not reward for
achieving budget. Instead offer rewards at, say, 10 per cent intervals above
budgeted levels, and inform staff of this. The extra profit should handsomely cover
the cost of the reward. You can choose to reward. You can choose to reward cost
reduction, quality improvement, innovation, or customer satisfaction. Rewards must
motivate, so monitor the scheme to be sure that they do.

Make contests for non-financial rewards as much

fun as possible.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance
Defining Exceptional Performance
Rewarding Achievement
Offering Non-Financial Rewards

Achievement is its own reward – but it is never enough. Achieves also want
recognition. Even a simple “thank you” is an important, underused in events like
away-days to discuss company strategy. Such events fit into development programs
that are central to sustaining job satisfaction, increasing responsibility, and
enhancing career progress and personal growth. Other non-financial rewards such as
gifts and holidays may prove cheaper than cash rewards – and everyone loves to
receive presents. However, these provide less motivation than individual recognition,
and are not substitutes for good, year-round management.

Do not let sliding-scale cash rewards become a

source of de-motivation.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance
Defining Exceptional Performance
Rewarding Achievement
Offering Non-Financial Rewards
Offering Cash Rewards

Use rewards in the form of pay increases or financial benefits to recognize

achievement, prevent a high-flying staff member from leaving the organization, or
encourage an individual in his or her job. Remember, however, that this type of
reward often has only short-term motivational valve. It can also lead to resentment
among other staff members, and discourage interaction within a team.

Give performance related rewards, not just pay

rises, where possible.
 Motivating People
Rewarding Exceptional Performance
Defining Exceptional Performance
Rewarding Achievement
Offering Non-Financial Rewards
Offering Cash Rewards
Celebrating Success
Personal thank for exceptional performance are powerfully reinforced by being
repeated or given at a public celebration. Celebrate success, and you can motivate
everybody in the unit, not just the achiever. External awards and dinners have
proliferated, and few industries are now without them. Pay for entries and tables at
these events, and make a fuss of any winners. The same format applied internally is
also effective. If a whole team, rather than an individual, is involved, celebration is
highly appropriate. Parties give you the change to motivate by words and by singling
out special contributions. Ensure, however, that any event of this type is carefully
planned and well staged. Skimping on any elements, especially the catering, is a
false economy in terms of motivation.

Use certificates and engraved presents as

reminders of high achievement.
 Motivating People
Keeping Motivation High
One you have successfully raised the important that they stay raised. Varying
working conditions, improving management systems, and placing a high valve on
your employees should all be top priorities.
Monitoring Motivation
People want to feel good about their work and their organization.
Encourage and nurture this natural dive – do not spend your time
cracking whips and shouting slogans. Use surveys, research, and
polling to check on morale and fine out when and where new
initiatives are needed. Select trusted people to talk to you informally
about general mood, developments that affect motivation, and
potential problem individuals.

Change your own working methods if it will

improve staff motivation.
 Motivating People
Keeping Motivation High
Monitoring Practices
In 1927 psychologist Elton Mayo discovered that output increased every time a change was made in
working conditions. Also, absenteeism declined during the period of change by 80 per cent. The
explanation he gave is that people respond to attention. Taking part in experiments and co-operating
in changes heightens interest, team spirit, and self-esteem, regardless of the change. Any aspect of
motivational practice is open to change. Look for ways to engage all staff in reviewing processes and
practices, and in devising ways of changing them. If you find any current practice de-motivates,
correct it immediately.
Reviewing Systems
Underperformance is expensive, and yet 85 per cent of all recorded underperformance is
thought to result form the system imposed by managers. Do not let that capable of de-
motivating staff, and all are open to improvement. Poor systems generate poor morale.
Regularly test your system, and ask for improvement suggestions from those who are on
the front line. Remember that the act of reform itself improves morale. Even if your
system was motivational when it was originally set up, changing conditions mean that
you should always be open to revisions – whether the initiative comes from you or from
your staff. Above all, treat seriously all comments on the system – staff will often bring
matters to you as a last resort.

Check on morale levels by talking to members of

staff on a regular basis.