Incentives, Rewards & Motivation

Today at work we discussed what motivates people. What incentives and rewards can the company and it’s managers provide in order to motivate the employees to work harder and perform better?

Here is the list we came up with:

• Bonus
• Career Ladder
• Challenging Tasks
• Christmas Party
• Coffee
• Coffee Cups & Branded Material
• Company Car
• Corporate Brand
• Corporate Values
• Credit Card
• Culture Societies
• Delegated Responsibility
• Encouragement & Coaching
• Facilities
• Fear
• Feedback
• Fruit
• Gift Certificates & Special Recognition
• Gym Card & Exercise Possibilities
• Health Care
• Insurance
• International Assignments
• Internet
• Job Rotations
• Massage
• Movie Tickets
• Overtime Pay
• Parking
• Payed Parental Leave
• Pension
• Performance Management
• Phone
• Public Recognition
• Raise
• Salary
• Special Events
• Sport & Leisure
• Subsidized Lunch
• Tea
• Team Building
• Titles
• Training & Personal Development
• Training literature
• Travel
• Vacation
• Water
• Work Computer
• Working Environment
• Working Glasses

Growing a Forest of Ideas

The world is full of management quotes and proverbs, be they inane or insightful.

A few examples:

1. “The leader follows in front!”
2. “Management must manage!”
3. “If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn’t thinking.”
4. “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.”
5. “A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances.”
6. “Management works in the system; Leadership works on the system.”
7. “Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.”
8. “The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided.”
9. “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.”
10. “So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.”

My personal contribution to this list is:

“Plant the seeds of creativity and you will grow a forest of ideas.”

I’m not really sure I know what it means but I do know that you need to make sure that you are not so blind that you “can’t see the forest for all the trees.”

Expectations: Leader vs. Follower

Expectations are an important part of any relationship. If two people have different expectations on the outcome of a certain situation then they have both sown the seeds of conflict. As a leader it is your responsibility to make sure that expectations are clearly defined and communicated, both your expectations on the group and groups expectations on you as a leader.

Communicating Expectations

Leader expectations can vary widely, there is no obvious right or wrong. Different leadership styles and personalities will bring with them different expectations. The leader clearly needs to state to the group which norms and behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable. When the leader communicates this, it should be done to the whole group at the same time, for example in a weekly team meeting. This ensures that the whole team receives a consistent, unambiguous message and that the team is given a clear signal that the leader is not singling anyone out or playing favorites.

A leader will and should have individual expectations on different members of the group. The appropriate forum for communicating these expectations are in a performance management or “quality time” forum.

When it comes time for the individuals of the group to communicate their expectations on the leader, this should be done in both a public forum and a private forum.

In the public forum, such as the team meeting the more vocal members of the group will be the greatest contributors. Their views may or may not represent the views of the majority of the team. The leader must be careful not to jump to conclusions about what is said in this forum since it may not be representative of the whole group.

The public forum gives the other team members the opportunity to reflect on the other team members views. They can choose to agree or disagree and they may or may not do so in the public forum. The important thing at this stage is not to have everyone contribute, but to give every team member the opportunity to reflect and think about their own personal expectations.

When the leader gathers the team members individual expectations in a private forum, this should NOT be done in conjunction with an evaluation of the employee’s performance. The leader should try to help the employee overcome the urge to give a “right” answer when it comes to expectations, i.e. one that the leader wants to hear. It is only when the leader is able to find out the real deep seated values and expectations of the employee, that he or she can use that knowledge in order to create a highly efficient team.

The Tough Interview

Jerry posted a comment wanting to know what underdog candidates can do to perform better in a tough interview situation.

I’ve been assisting in interviews for an open position in my group. Some of the candidates are missing people skills, personality, etc. A few of the other interviewers visibly showed their displeasure and unease with the candidate. I was taken back considerably, having been in the candidate’s shoes many times. Do you know of any specific resources these ‘underdog’ candidates can tap into to make themselves marketable and valued by an employer…..?

Here is my take on things:

Candidates

In order to be successful in an interview situation I think that every candidate has to start with the basics:

1. Be on time.
2. Dress appropriately.
3. Be prepared. Know your resume. Do some basic research on the company and job you are applying for.

As a job candidate you can to a certain extent influence and control the interview situation. To start with, smile and be happy that you got the chance to do the interview. As I’ve said before, positive people attract people. If you are open, honest, forthcoming and willing to meet people halfway, then you are more likely to succeed in your goal.

What is your goal? Do you want to execute a perfect interview (whatever that is?) or do you want to start building a long term relationship with the people who are interviewing you? If you get the job then you’ll probably spend a lot of time together. Why not start by taking the steps to build a long term relationship immediately? This doesn’t mean you should end the interview by going out for a beer together, but it does mean that you can choose to adopt a certain attitude and emotional state when you interact with your future potential coworkers.

Interviewer

As an interviewer it is your responsibility to set the expectations for both the candidate, your co-interviewers and yourself. What is the goal with the interview? What kind of people are you trying to attract? Is it more important to have a candidate that is a team player and fits well in together with the current team or is it crucial to find someone with a unique skill set to give you a competitive edge? I suggest having a pre-meeting with your co-interviewers before the interview in order to discuss and agree upon what you want to achieve with the interview.

People are different. Some people are loners, some people are team players. Everybody does NOT have to be a team player. I know several computer programmers who are very skilled at what they do and contribute significantly to the company they work for, but are completely lacking in people skills. By providing these people with the appropriate environment, you are much more likely to get them to perform and deliver in a way that contributes to the firm’s bottom line.

Everybody has a personality, but in an interview situation, because of the stresses involved, many people can become quiet, closed and introvert. As an interviewer, it is your job to make the candidate feel comfortable and to draw out a good performance from them. A good way to start is to provide a clear structure for the interview, for example write down an agenda on the whiteboard and come back to it as you go through each step. Also, you should clearly state the expectations you have of a future employee. If your expectations are clear, then it is much easier for the candidate to fulfill them.

If the candidate is quiet and doesn’t contribute very much to the interview, it is likely that they feel intimidated by the situation. As an interviewer, you can use open questions to draw them out. Don’t pepper the candidate with questions. Give them time to reflect and think after you have posed a question. Also, you should make sure to ask only one question at a time.

If your co-interviewers show displeasure with the candidate and feel unease then you should discuss this with them after the interview. It may be that they feel threatened by a new person entering the group. Maybe they feel like their position or competence is being challenged or questioned? If this is the case, then it is a serious barrier to having a highly effective team. This will most likely prevent the group from accepting any new members, as the people who feel threatened will try to sabotage the new persons efforts, in order to protect their own position within the group. In this case it is important that the manager or team leader makes a serious effort to get to the bottom of the conflict and try to solve it.

In an interview situation it is the interviewer, not the candidate, who has the main responsibility for getting a good result. If your company consistently has problems finding job candidates, it could be that there is an serious problem in the way you try to recruit people and structure interviews. In the end it’s up to you to decide what you want to achieve.

Walking While Talking

Many people feel the need to walk around while talking on the phone. This may be due to the fact that they have a kinesthetic learning style. In order to learn and think properly, these kind of people may feel the need to have their legs moving beneath them.

Standing up or walking around has the added benefit of increasing the blood flow to the brain and easing the flow of oxygen into the lungs. The result is that the persons feel more alert, are able to think more clearly, and ultimately, are able to make better decisions.

If this is the case, then why oh why are the office spaces that we live and work in not designed for walking and talking? This seems like a significant ergonomic hazard that has been sorely overlooked for too long!

I propose that every office building should have a “walk-n-talk-track”. This would be a sort of an obstacle course (changed periodically to make it interesting), separated from the rest of the office with sound absorbent material, enabling the kinesthetic people to walk and talk their whole merry day, leaving the rest of us in peace!

So, architects of the world UNITE! Give us the “walk-n-talk-track” in every office space today!

Positive People Attract People

“Nobody wants to hang around a loser, except bigger losers.”

It sounds like a cliche from an 80’s High School movie, but to a certain extent it’s true. If you want to be successful, seek out people who are already successful. If you want to make friends, seek out people who have a lot of friends. If you want to find a partner, seek out a person who already has a … ok, maybe not the last one. :O)

The Negative Virus

Negativity is like a virus. It spreads from person to person making everyone irritated, angry and sad. As powerful as positive thinking is, it’s easy to be infected by negative thoughts. The only real defense is to run away as fast as you possibly can and seek the refuge of a positive environment. This doesn’t have to be a physical place. The memory of a happy place or an enjoyable moment in your life is just as effective.

So, what’s all this talk about positive thinking? I’m happy! I’m making new friends and I want to spread the joy! You think I’ve gone a bit loopy? Well, just remember to remind me of this post the next time I act like a grumpy old man. Afterall, I’m only 31

Strength/Improvement Map

One way to understand your strengths, areas of improvement and relationships is the Johari Window. Personally I have a hard time remembering it and I frankly don’t find it very useful.

Instead I have developed the personal Strength/Improvement map. The map contains 3 areas: Internal Dialog, External Perspective and Physical Presence. You should create one map for your strengths and one map for your areas of improvement. The maps should be kept separate and you should focus on one at a time. Print the maps out on paper and use them as you would a brainstorming map.

The maps should contain positive and constructive feedback you have received from others as well as personal observations of yourself.

Internal Dialog

The internal dialog represents your own thought processes. This is how you perceive people, problems and different situations. This is the behavior you think you display. This is the words that you say and you think that others understand. This is your subjective, personal view.

External Perspective

The external perspective represents how other people perceive you. This is how other people think you perceive them. This is the behaviors they see you display and the words they hear you say and what they think they mean. This is other peoples subjective, personal view.

Other people can not be wrong when it comes to your external perspective. It is their highly personal opinion grounded in their observations and values. If you do not agree with the external perspective others present to you, you can choose to either change your behavior or change what you say. Arguing with people about your external perspective will get you nowhere.

The external perspective is communicated through positive, constructive or negative feedback. Negative feedback should be ignored. Positive and constructive should be weighed and considered.

Physical Presence

The physical presence represents your posture and body language. This is how you sit, stand, walk and run. This is the clothes you wear and your choice of hairstyle. Since body language represents 60-80% of communication you ignore physical presence at great personal risk.

Internal Dialog + Physical Presence = Your view of the world and yourself.

External Perspective + Physical Presence = Others view of the world, you and themselves.

Problem Solving Technique – The Tree

When trying to solve a problem you can sometimes run into a morass, slowing your progress and preventing you from reaching your goal. In times like these, it can be good to have some tricks (Jedi mind tricks?) or techniques in your toolkit, to be able to see the problem from a different perspective and therefore maybe solve it.

“The Tree” is one technique that I have developed and use when I encounter such a problem, be it at home or at work.

Everybody who uses “The Tree” will use it in their own personal way. I can’t tell you how to use “The Tree”, you have to figure it out for yourself. If you think about the below metaphor the next time you encounter a difficult problem, I’m sure that “The Tree” can help you out somehow.

The Tree

*Assume it’s a hot day, you’re naked and you didn’t bring anything with you, i.e., no axes. Hey, it could happen!!!*

Imagine that you are walking down a narrow woodland path, on your way to your destination. Gradually a giant, ancient oak tree appears in front of you, blocking your path. The tree looks sinister and foreboding. As you approach it gets larger and larger, until it completely blocks out the path from your view. The tree stands as a sentinel, strong and impenetrable, preventing you from reaching your goal. What do you do?

You can not reason with “The Tree”. It does not have ears. It can not hear you speak. “The Tree” does not have a mouth. It can not share it’s secret with you. You can not move “The Tree”. Its roots grow deep underground and it does not have legs. You can smell the tree, but it will not smell you back.

Your course of action is decidedly narrow and your choices are limited. They are as follows:

Choices

1) Walk straight into the tree and repeatedly bang your head against the trunk until you are bloody and dazed. “The Tree” is strong, but old and your attack may break it eventually. (Brute Force)

2) Climb over the tree to the other side, slowly and laboriously navigating each precarious branch. “The Tree” will stand in your way, but will not prevent you from scaling it, except due to its sheer size. (Find a complicated solution)

3) Step off the path and walk around the tree. Quickly circumvent the obstruction and continue on your merry way. “The Tree” will force you to temporarily change your direction, but it will not prevent you from finding the path again. (Find a simple solution)

4) Return the way you came, turning your back on “The Tree”. Come back and conquer “The Tree” another day or decide to never come this way again. (Give up, temporarily or permanently)

5) Sit down and wait. Eventually “The Tree” will rot and die. It may take a very long time or it may be soon. “The Tree” is strong, but old and you may actually live to see it die. (Wait until the problem solves itself)

There is no “right” choice. You have to decide what is best for you, at this point in time, with regards to this particular “Tree”. The only thing that is certain is that you HAVE to make a choice.

If you think you don’t, time will make a choice and your fate will be decided for you.

When dealing with a “Tree”, the outcome is always uncertain, but when you know the possibilities, the chances for your success are greatly increased.

Good luck!

Personalized Processes?

Do we need personalized processes? The question seems to defy common sense. A personalized process is the antithesis of what corporations have been striving for, for so many years. I thought we all agreed that processes should be standardized, uniform, one size fits one problem type of solutions? So what’s this about personalization?

Grocery Store

When it comes to grocery shopping people can basically be divided into two categories:

Type A people: Make a list of what to buy and follow it while shopping.

Type B people: Walk around looking for something to catch their attention and buy what feels good. Often have to return to the store after coming home, since they forgot something.

From a survival standpoint, both strategies seem equally good. Obviously Type B people are not dropping like flies from a lack of sustenance. From an efficiency standpoint, the Type A person is probably to be preferred. From a creativity standpoint, the Type B person may be the better candidate.

So what does this mean for corporations?

All companies have both Type A and Type B people on the payroll. Both personalities have qualities that are valuable in the firm’s money making enterprise. But how does this relate to processes?

Type A people are more likely to be willing to follow the process. Actually, they’re probably the people who wrote it in the first place.

Type B people often find the process to be more hassle than help. They are constantly looking for ways to bend the rules, work around the process or ignore it all together. The result is that when Type A and Type B people work together, performance suffers, since they are working against each other.

So how do we solve this dilemma? Should we allow Type B people to modify the process to suit their needs? The spontaneous answer is no, but if it actually increases overall efficiency, then the answer should probably be yes.

Then how do we deal with multiple versions of the same process running at the same time? Good question. The answer is that it’s the subject of a future post! :O)

People Skills

Over at CIO.com I found an article about “Why Managers Need People Skills”.

The skills the article finds to be most useful are:

- Assuredness
- Confidence
- Likability

For me, the main people skill missing from this list is feedback. The ability to give and receive positive and constructive feedback is for me one of the most important and challenging aspects of leadership.

Feedback is the key to two other important areas of leadership, i.e. building trust and empowering people.

Building trust takes time. It has to be earned and it is difficult to substitute.

Empowering people means giving them the training, skills, support and trust to let them make their own mistakes and achieve their own successes. If a leader has neglected to build trust between himself and his subordinates, then empowerment becomes at best a sort of a straw man argument.

“To lead, an ability to communicate as well as understand, support and develop people is essential. “