As I work with clients to strengthen their
teams and to make their businesses more profitable, I often encounter
some serious misunderstandings of human nature. These misunderstandings
usually lead business leaders in the wrong direction when they attempt
to inspire their employees to perform at a higher level. Fortunately,
you can avoid these pitfalls if you understand a few key points
about the people you lead. (By Guy Harris). See Acknowledgement
Below.
They are not motivated by money alone
In numerous studies conducted over the
last fifty or sixty years, researchers have concluded money is
not the prime motivator for most people. Yes, people work for
money -- but it is not their biggest motivator. One famous model
of behavior – Maslow’s hierarchy of needs –
yields a clue as to why this is true. In summary, Maslow’s
hierarchy says that all of us have five basic needs (physiological,
safety & security, social, esteem, and self-actualization).
According to Maslow, “a need once met no longer serves to
motivate.” If you have your physiological needs met (food,
shelter, & clothing), more of the same will not inspire you
to work harder. Employers help people meet their physiological
needs with money. More money will not necessarily get people to
work harder. It is true that some people work harder for more
money, but many will not. If you want to inspire high-level performance,
you’ve got to dig deeper. You must work to understand what
motivates each person on your team.
They don’t want their worth determined
by the number of hours they are at work
I once heard a business owner say, “An
entrepreneur is someone who will work 80 hours a week for themselves
so that they don’t have to work 40 hours a week for someone
else.” I have found this statement to be very accurate.
Many people believe that what motivates them also motivates others.
When it doesn’t, they often get frustrated and confused.
Remember that your business is your dream, not your employees’
dream. They probably want to do a good job, but they don't want
you to evaluate them based on the number of hours they spend in
your business. Reward them based on the quality and/or quantity
of work they produce. Reward them for the service they provide
to customers. Don’t use “face time” as a measure
of their worth.
They want to feel like part
of a team
Most people want to be part
of something great. Create an environment where people feel like
they are part of something bigger than themselves, and they will
respond favorably. Reward individual performance, but build the
team. Avoid competition within your team at all costs. You want
your team competing together to win your business competition.
You don’t want them fighting each other.
They want you to respect them
I’ve seen many entrepreneurs
start a business to avoid an organization or a person who treats
them with disrespect. Funny -- I often see these same people treat
their employees with disrespect when they become the boss. What
happened?
They want you to value their
opinions
The studies that show money
is not a prime motivator also find that people want their supervisor
to show appreciation for their contribution at work. Show your
appreciation and value their input. Your employees will truly
be your greatest asset.
They want to make a difference
People like to do things
that matter. People need to feel like their contribution helped
the team. Show your people how their work made a difference to
team results, and you’ll likely tap into their internal
motivators.
They want your business to
succeed
Most people realize that
they are unemployed if your business fails. They don’t want
that any more than you do. Listen to them. Learn from their insights.
They may not have your monetary investment in the business, but
they do have a big stake in your success. There you have it. Seven
things you need to know about employees. As I look back over the
article, I see that it begs the question “What about people
who don’t want to be part of a team?” or “What
about the employee who doesn’t want to make a difference?”
I know they’re out there, but I don’t believe they
represent a majority of the population. If you have an employee
who doesn’t care, why are they still your employee? Don’t
waste your time on people who really don’t want to contribute.
Find someone who does and apply these seven tips to working with
them. You may use this article for electronic distribution if
you will include all contact information with live links back
to the author. Notification of use is not required, but I would
appreciate it. Please contact the author prior to use in printed
media.
About The Author
Guy Harris is the Chief Relationship Officer
with Principle Driven Consulting.
He helps entrepreneurs, business managers, and other organizational
leaders
build trust, reduce conflict, and improve team performance.
Learn more at http://www.principledriven.com
Guy co-authored "The Behavior Bucks System TM"
to help parents reduce stress and conflict with their children.
Learn more about this book at http://www.behaviorbucks.com |
