Motivation in Leadership
Content
==== ==== Best Selling Book by David Novak on Motivation in Leadership. 'Taking People with You' www.DavidNovakTakingPeoplewithYou.withmichael.com ==== ====
I was watching the BBC news last night on TV and whilst watching clips of President Obama defending his health plans I came across a rather disturbing headline that stated that the unemployment rate in the UK is at present the highest since 1995. This should not really surprise anyone. We have seen corporations collapse, fluctuating currencies, worrying reports of new world orders and riots in cities. Whilst the downturn has brought on much suffering and changes globally the headline itself brought to mind some of the management theories I had learned whilst on my MBA course a few years back. This is a rather worrying statistic. The word statistic tends to remove the human emotion from the equation. I believe it was Stalin who once said that the death of a single person is a tragedy; more than that is just a statistic. The statistic here is you, me and my neighbor next door. Despite reassurances from across the Atlantic that the recession is now over, the unemployment rate is extremely high. I cannot begin to imagine the mental state of people in the firing line of the downturn. Unfortunately the unemployment rate is usually the last statistic to improve in any downturn. Increasing employment rates tend to denote that companies are once again confident in their growth capacity and the markets and are thereby investing in the future. The changes in the unemployment rate is a clear indication that a downturn is surely over or that companies are still cautious in how they hire new staff and take on new investments. Whilst executives and senior managers worry about steering their corporate ships through these treacherous waters it is usually the crew below that tend to suffer the most. The downturn has brought with it copious volumes of risk in job security. Employees have had to worry if they would be laid off or sent home. Many companies have shamefully also used the downturn as an excuse to lay off staff and cut costs. Whilst other companies have had no choice but to enforce pressure on their staff to work much longer hours with heavier work loads. A corporation is responsible for its staff. That is a humane view point. Employees come in to work and spend most of their lives working for a corporation. The treatment of staff, their well being and management during these hard times are a clear indication of the true colours of the company itself. Hard times are a clear indication of the true person behind the corporate persona. Companies must realize that how they tend to treat employees during these times are a clear indication of who they really are. Once the downturn is over, winning back employee confidence and convincing them they are more than just a statistic is going to be much more challenging. Employees are possibly at their lowest state of mind on par with that which has not been witnessed in the last decade. Abraham Maslow had a theory named the Hierarchy of Needs Motivational Model which is widely studied on many of the abundant MBA courses globally. This
model is a triangle shaped model in which the bottom layer is said to be the most significant factor in the motivation of an employee or more so his/her desire to perform within the company. As the building blocks are piled up on the triangle so does the necessity of each block reduce in motivational significance. Needless to say the first block details human physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, etc. These are basic human necessities. Just above the basic ethical humanitarian needs of people is security. Shockingly, this is what most employees do not have at present. Job security and employment rates are at the lowest levels as seen in the last decade. The basic human need of job security has been compromised. I cannot begin to imagine the mental, emotional and physical strains placed on workers today. Perhaps the government should take more action on the severity of the current situation although this could be borne by management themselves in combating this lack of security. The triangle blocks continue to pile up in the order of love and belonging (e.g. part of a team), esteem (e.g. working for Google :-P ), purpose and self-actualization. Security or the lack of as borne by employees today include a shattered work-life balance, losing homes, being unable to pay off mortgages as well as dysfunctional marriages and relationships with children due to long work hours and mental fatigue. This is a crisis that needs to be addressed immediately by management. The lack of motivation and the distraught attitudes of employees is not only ruining lives but will surely bring to disrepute the corporation or put it under further stress. Management need to immediately address these issues. Champions and leaders are needed to drive through these perilous waters. It is the management that employees trust in the normal operations of the company. There is no better time than the present to cement the trust and bonds between employees and use the current environment to drive change through team building. Team building within the company enables employees to face the downturn as a unit - a functioning powerful unit of people rather than scattered individuals. As people we tend to learn from our environment. We know that a hot cup of coffee could burn you when spilled. We know that a barking dog is not the safest to pet. We know that we should not trust Bernard Madoff with our life investments. We also know who we can trust when we are in times of need; that shoulder we can always rely on. This current downturn is real live experiential learning. Any Human Resource Development Manager should be quick to jump on the current opportunities to ensure that their staff learn from these times. This is a time of great change. Change management is essential. During the good times most corporations are greater change evangelists than are the Christian Reinhard Bonke's of the world. With the downturn we seem to have forgotten our own gospel of change champions, consulting with employees, appointing change agents and harnessing charismatic / transformational leadership capabilities. These are possibly some of the most significant times heralding some of the largest changes in corporate history. Are you going to be part of the team that went with the flow and caused more harm than good? Or are you going to be the change and gather your employees around you to drive forth these dramatic changes? Irrespective of the outcome of your company i.e. if it goes into liquidation, manages to survive or thrives beyond, it is the people who worked for you that will remember you the most whilst the balance sheets decay in the chronicles of history.
Change management begins with answering the questions. That is the questions raised by employees. Management need to ensure that change (ideally being driven from the top) involves educating all employees with absolute transparency what is currently going on in the company. This could detail financial information, business strategy information and the challenges / predicaments ahead of us. Transparency and information are vital. It does not help in anyway to have your CEO locked away in his room racking his brain out while everyone else is assuming it is over. Transparency ensures that everyone is aware of the true picture. It is a waste of time to try to fool employees with strategy and positioning pep talks. They are well aware of the truth! It is up to management to be honest, transparent and clear. Questions should be answered truthfully e.g. why there are salary delays. The management should be clear on what their strategy moving forward is. They need to detail what is the plan to get us out of the rut or to survive. Explanations should be given prior to making requests of employees to work longer hours and take on more work loads. This consultative process makes employees feel important as they rightfully are. It musters support and motivation. A transformational leader is required to reiterate the changes and ensure that his/her charisma, consultative mannerism and overall concern for employees builds confidence and trust. Managers would need to take on the role of counselors. Being transformational leaders they would be expected to show concern over (in confidentiality) how employees are getting on outside the work place, ask them what there concerns are and do there utmost to ensure the well being of employees are looked into. Employees need a voice now more than ever before. A voice often ignored but is critical. A voice that must tweet at the top. We hear a lot of quotes and see a lot of posters denoting team building. e.g. Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM), alone we can't but together we can, etc. If in the past we could foster team spirit and team building to face multifunctional projects using cross functional teams which operate under immense pressure then perhaps team building is the best suited model to work with employees during the truly difficult moments. It is sad to see the reverse i.e. breaking up of teams with lay offs and adding job insecurity to bonded team environments. Leadership training, leadership development, change management, HRD, team learning, team building skills and management training are worthwhile investments in any downturn. Their necessity is similar to teaching paramedics First Aid. How do we harness these team attributes? There is no better time than the present to cement the trust and bonds between employees and use the current environment to drive change through team building. Team building within the company enables employees to face the downturn as a unit - a functioning powerful unit of people rather than scattered individuals. There seems to be no better time than the present to capture the fruits of experiential learning using a real live environment. Outward Bound Training (as a human resource development initiative) courses involving taking employees to the outdoors to develop skills such as team building, leadership training, project management, handling stress, management training, communication, change, etc. may have been used in the better times as part of a team building program conducted by team building companies. As part of a corporate training program or outdoor leadership training the employees may have been asked to participate in a team building
activity. These may have included raft building, kayaking, trust falls, outdoor navigation, etc. Outward bound training is still popular in the UK, US, West Indies and Singapore. Whilst it has its critics, the proper harnessing of the learning (Transfer of Learning) could prove to have positive impacts within the work organization. The key point to focus on here is to lose focus on the activity and focus on what it is trying to achieve. e.g. lose focus on white water rafting but harness the relationships built with your team whilst on the course. The essence of Outward Bound Training is to place participants on simulated risky environments that would enable them to dig deep into their natural capabilities and resources. In these environments leadership skills, clear communication, resource allocation, time efficiency, etc. are all put to the test. The active learning involved provides memories and recollections which could prove useful to employees. However this learning needs to be addressed as would any change management strategy. The learning needs to be harnessed, reflected upon and actively implemented within the organization by change agents else the transfer of learning will not take place. Some would argue that going on outward bound courses is the least on managers' minds given the worries of staying afloat. However some might argue that if it is financially viable it is an investment. Employees are under immense pressure and stress. They are expected to perform exceptionally well in a stressful environment where there job security is at risk. They are expected to work long hours while taking on extra work loads. In these economic conditions customers always want there projects yesterday and new ones delivered tomorrow. There does not seem to be a more opportune time to invest in the training and development of employees for this exact environment. Taking the employees out of the current work place to the outdoors not only prepares employees to be trained in the necessary skills to face a stressful work environment and thrive in time management, communication, leadership, etc. but most significantly, and most undoubtedly, it sends a very clear concise critical message directly to the employees. The message clearly states that their management has decided to make an investment in its employees. Instead of laying off and being bureaucratic, the management has made the conscious decision to invest in its employees and prepare them for the future ahead. Yes the times will be tough but the management has confidence that its employees, with the right training, will shine through these circumstances. This message immediately, like a cork out of a champagne bottle, thrusts employee perception up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Motivation Model. They no longer need to be worried about security as instead of taking the easy option of laying off staff, the management has sent a clear message that they are still a team and together they can make it. This message also solidifies Maslow's two immediate concerns in the triangle - the need to belong and esteem. Outward bound training is a unique method in which manager's are able to use experiential learning as part of a human resources development strategy. The essence is in the capture of the learning undertaken and its implementation in the work place which is also undergoing severe stress. The skills captured from the training could prepare employees for the tougher times ahead and it will certainly sharpen their skills. It will also provide a very significant mode of motivation and a clear directive from senior management that it values its employees. The former CEO of GE Jack Welch in his book 'Winning' details that the head of human resources in a company should be given as much significance as a CFO. Whilst Mr.Welch's theories have both criticism and praise by many commentators, it is a winning advantage to invest in employees when it seems that all statistics, media, corporations and managers are working against them.
Human resource development managers also must focus on ensuring that employees learn from these live non-simulation stressful times. The learning involved in going through risk related environments and overcoming obstacles must be harnessed, discussed, documented and championed by change agents to actively reinforce learning in the future. http://www.MasterBusinessChronicles.com
Two of the most significant elements in the value chain of a company are the Marketing of the Product / Service and the People behind the company. Our expertise is particularly in Developing Human Resources (e.g. Experiential Learning (Outward Bound Training)), Change Management and Internet Marketing (i.e. Inbound Marketing - merging PR with Internet Marketing, particularly for the hotel industry). [http://www.MasterBusinessChronicles.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johann_Tambayah
==== ==== Best Selling Book by David Novak on Motivation in Leadership. 'Taking People with You' www.DavidNovakTakingPeoplewithYou.withmichael.com ==== ====
I was watching the BBC news last night on TV and whilst watching clips of President Obama defending his health plans I came across a rather disturbing headline that stated that the unemployment rate in the UK is at present the highest since 1995. This should not really surprise anyone. We have seen corporations collapse, fluctuating currencies, worrying reports of new world orders and riots in cities. Whilst the downturn has brought on much suffering and changes globally the headline itself brought to mind some of the management theories I had learned whilst on my MBA course a few years back. This is a rather worrying statistic. The word statistic tends to remove the human emotion from the equation. I believe it was Stalin who once said that the death of a single person is a tragedy; more than that is just a statistic. The statistic here is you, me and my neighbor next door. Despite reassurances from across the Atlantic that the recession is now over, the unemployment rate is extremely high. I cannot begin to imagine the mental state of people in the firing line of the downturn. Unfortunately the unemployment rate is usually the last statistic to improve in any downturn. Increasing employment rates tend to denote that companies are once again confident in their growth capacity and the markets and are thereby investing in the future. The changes in the unemployment rate is a clear indication that a downturn is surely over or that companies are still cautious in how they hire new staff and take on new investments. Whilst executives and senior managers worry about steering their corporate ships through these treacherous waters it is usually the crew below that tend to suffer the most. The downturn has brought with it copious volumes of risk in job security. Employees have had to worry if they would be laid off or sent home. Many companies have shamefully also used the downturn as an excuse to lay off staff and cut costs. Whilst other companies have had no choice but to enforce pressure on their staff to work much longer hours with heavier work loads. A corporation is responsible for its staff. That is a humane view point. Employees come in to work and spend most of their lives working for a corporation. The treatment of staff, their well being and management during these hard times are a clear indication of the true colours of the company itself. Hard times are a clear indication of the true person behind the corporate persona. Companies must realize that how they tend to treat employees during these times are a clear indication of who they really are. Once the downturn is over, winning back employee confidence and convincing them they are more than just a statistic is going to be much more challenging. Employees are possibly at their lowest state of mind on par with that which has not been witnessed in the last decade. Abraham Maslow had a theory named the Hierarchy of Needs Motivational Model which is widely studied on many of the abundant MBA courses globally. This
model is a triangle shaped model in which the bottom layer is said to be the most significant factor in the motivation of an employee or more so his/her desire to perform within the company. As the building blocks are piled up on the triangle so does the necessity of each block reduce in motivational significance. Needless to say the first block details human physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, etc. These are basic human necessities. Just above the basic ethical humanitarian needs of people is security. Shockingly, this is what most employees do not have at present. Job security and employment rates are at the lowest levels as seen in the last decade. The basic human need of job security has been compromised. I cannot begin to imagine the mental, emotional and physical strains placed on workers today. Perhaps the government should take more action on the severity of the current situation although this could be borne by management themselves in combating this lack of security. The triangle blocks continue to pile up in the order of love and belonging (e.g. part of a team), esteem (e.g. working for Google :-P ), purpose and self-actualization. Security or the lack of as borne by employees today include a shattered work-life balance, losing homes, being unable to pay off mortgages as well as dysfunctional marriages and relationships with children due to long work hours and mental fatigue. This is a crisis that needs to be addressed immediately by management. The lack of motivation and the distraught attitudes of employees is not only ruining lives but will surely bring to disrepute the corporation or put it under further stress. Management need to immediately address these issues. Champions and leaders are needed to drive through these perilous waters. It is the management that employees trust in the normal operations of the company. There is no better time than the present to cement the trust and bonds between employees and use the current environment to drive change through team building. Team building within the company enables employees to face the downturn as a unit - a functioning powerful unit of people rather than scattered individuals. As people we tend to learn from our environment. We know that a hot cup of coffee could burn you when spilled. We know that a barking dog is not the safest to pet. We know that we should not trust Bernard Madoff with our life investments. We also know who we can trust when we are in times of need; that shoulder we can always rely on. This current downturn is real live experiential learning. Any Human Resource Development Manager should be quick to jump on the current opportunities to ensure that their staff learn from these times. This is a time of great change. Change management is essential. During the good times most corporations are greater change evangelists than are the Christian Reinhard Bonke's of the world. With the downturn we seem to have forgotten our own gospel of change champions, consulting with employees, appointing change agents and harnessing charismatic / transformational leadership capabilities. These are possibly some of the most significant times heralding some of the largest changes in corporate history. Are you going to be part of the team that went with the flow and caused more harm than good? Or are you going to be the change and gather your employees around you to drive forth these dramatic changes? Irrespective of the outcome of your company i.e. if it goes into liquidation, manages to survive or thrives beyond, it is the people who worked for you that will remember you the most whilst the balance sheets decay in the chronicles of history.
Change management begins with answering the questions. That is the questions raised by employees. Management need to ensure that change (ideally being driven from the top) involves educating all employees with absolute transparency what is currently going on in the company. This could detail financial information, business strategy information and the challenges / predicaments ahead of us. Transparency and information are vital. It does not help in anyway to have your CEO locked away in his room racking his brain out while everyone else is assuming it is over. Transparency ensures that everyone is aware of the true picture. It is a waste of time to try to fool employees with strategy and positioning pep talks. They are well aware of the truth! It is up to management to be honest, transparent and clear. Questions should be answered truthfully e.g. why there are salary delays. The management should be clear on what their strategy moving forward is. They need to detail what is the plan to get us out of the rut or to survive. Explanations should be given prior to making requests of employees to work longer hours and take on more work loads. This consultative process makes employees feel important as they rightfully are. It musters support and motivation. A transformational leader is required to reiterate the changes and ensure that his/her charisma, consultative mannerism and overall concern for employees builds confidence and trust. Managers would need to take on the role of counselors. Being transformational leaders they would be expected to show concern over (in confidentiality) how employees are getting on outside the work place, ask them what there concerns are and do there utmost to ensure the well being of employees are looked into. Employees need a voice now more than ever before. A voice often ignored but is critical. A voice that must tweet at the top. We hear a lot of quotes and see a lot of posters denoting team building. e.g. Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM), alone we can't but together we can, etc. If in the past we could foster team spirit and team building to face multifunctional projects using cross functional teams which operate under immense pressure then perhaps team building is the best suited model to work with employees during the truly difficult moments. It is sad to see the reverse i.e. breaking up of teams with lay offs and adding job insecurity to bonded team environments. Leadership training, leadership development, change management, HRD, team learning, team building skills and management training are worthwhile investments in any downturn. Their necessity is similar to teaching paramedics First Aid. How do we harness these team attributes? There is no better time than the present to cement the trust and bonds between employees and use the current environment to drive change through team building. Team building within the company enables employees to face the downturn as a unit - a functioning powerful unit of people rather than scattered individuals. There seems to be no better time than the present to capture the fruits of experiential learning using a real live environment. Outward Bound Training (as a human resource development initiative) courses involving taking employees to the outdoors to develop skills such as team building, leadership training, project management, handling stress, management training, communication, change, etc. may have been used in the better times as part of a team building program conducted by team building companies. As part of a corporate training program or outdoor leadership training the employees may have been asked to participate in a team building
activity. These may have included raft building, kayaking, trust falls, outdoor navigation, etc. Outward bound training is still popular in the UK, US, West Indies and Singapore. Whilst it has its critics, the proper harnessing of the learning (Transfer of Learning) could prove to have positive impacts within the work organization. The key point to focus on here is to lose focus on the activity and focus on what it is trying to achieve. e.g. lose focus on white water rafting but harness the relationships built with your team whilst on the course. The essence of Outward Bound Training is to place participants on simulated risky environments that would enable them to dig deep into their natural capabilities and resources. In these environments leadership skills, clear communication, resource allocation, time efficiency, etc. are all put to the test. The active learning involved provides memories and recollections which could prove useful to employees. However this learning needs to be addressed as would any change management strategy. The learning needs to be harnessed, reflected upon and actively implemented within the organization by change agents else the transfer of learning will not take place. Some would argue that going on outward bound courses is the least on managers' minds given the worries of staying afloat. However some might argue that if it is financially viable it is an investment. Employees are under immense pressure and stress. They are expected to perform exceptionally well in a stressful environment where there job security is at risk. They are expected to work long hours while taking on extra work loads. In these economic conditions customers always want there projects yesterday and new ones delivered tomorrow. There does not seem to be a more opportune time to invest in the training and development of employees for this exact environment. Taking the employees out of the current work place to the outdoors not only prepares employees to be trained in the necessary skills to face a stressful work environment and thrive in time management, communication, leadership, etc. but most significantly, and most undoubtedly, it sends a very clear concise critical message directly to the employees. The message clearly states that their management has decided to make an investment in its employees. Instead of laying off and being bureaucratic, the management has made the conscious decision to invest in its employees and prepare them for the future ahead. Yes the times will be tough but the management has confidence that its employees, with the right training, will shine through these circumstances. This message immediately, like a cork out of a champagne bottle, thrusts employee perception up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Motivation Model. They no longer need to be worried about security as instead of taking the easy option of laying off staff, the management has sent a clear message that they are still a team and together they can make it. This message also solidifies Maslow's two immediate concerns in the triangle - the need to belong and esteem. Outward bound training is a unique method in which manager's are able to use experiential learning as part of a human resources development strategy. The essence is in the capture of the learning undertaken and its implementation in the work place which is also undergoing severe stress. The skills captured from the training could prepare employees for the tougher times ahead and it will certainly sharpen their skills. It will also provide a very significant mode of motivation and a clear directive from senior management that it values its employees. The former CEO of GE Jack Welch in his book 'Winning' details that the head of human resources in a company should be given as much significance as a CFO. Whilst Mr.Welch's theories have both criticism and praise by many commentators, it is a winning advantage to invest in employees when it seems that all statistics, media, corporations and managers are working against them.
Human resource development managers also must focus on ensuring that employees learn from these live non-simulation stressful times. The learning involved in going through risk related environments and overcoming obstacles must be harnessed, discussed, documented and championed by change agents to actively reinforce learning in the future. http://www.MasterBusinessChronicles.com
Two of the most significant elements in the value chain of a company are the Marketing of the Product / Service and the People behind the company. Our expertise is particularly in Developing Human Resources (e.g. Experiential Learning (Outward Bound Training)), Change Management and Internet Marketing (i.e. Inbound Marketing - merging PR with Internet Marketing, particularly for the hotel industry). [http://www.MasterBusinessChronicles.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johann_Tambayah
==== ==== Best Selling Book by David Novak on Motivation in Leadership. 'Taking People with You' www.DavidNovakTakingPeoplewithYou.withmichael.com ==== ====
