Especially now when things are tough, leaders, elected into their positions by frontline staff, should be trying to create a sense of momentum, enthusing people who feel less than positive after Christmas. With the CMI reporting recently that over 8 million people had sleepless nights thinking about the return to work. I still keep asking myself - ‘What’s wrong with work’?
Okay, most of us might rather be on a sunny beach somewhere, but when you really consider that ideal, many of us also actually enjoy work, and the beach would become a little tedious after a while.....wouldn’t it? It might sound sad to some but work defines us, provides us with a sense of worth and purpose and indeed we like it for the most part.
What matters for me, far more than the niceties of traditional HR practice/theory, methods of appraisal, coaching tools etc., is simply being open, passionate, caring, listening to others goals and generally helping progress, regardless of how slow it might be to begin with. These are surely amongst the most important activities for Leaders when times are tough, so that we all work together for a common, shared goal.
We should embrace the mentality of the Joker in the last Batman film where he says, “You will never beat me, as I don’t follow the rules..... you have to follow them as you created them”.... this is Chaos theory in its simplest form. “If you can’t beat em, don’t join ’em, change the rules of the game”.
What matters for me, far more than the niceties of traditional HR practice/theory, methods of appraisal, coaching tools etc., is simply being open, passionate, caring, listening to others goals and generally helping progress, regardless of how slow it might be to begin with. These are surely amongst the most important activities for Leaders when times are tough, so that we all work together for a common, shared goal.
We should embrace the mentality of the Joker in the last Batman film where he says, “You will never beat me, as I don’t follow the rules..... you have to follow them as you created them”.... this is Chaos theory in its simplest form. “If you can’t beat em, don’t join ’em, change the rules of the game”.
We must for example bring to the surface some of the needlessly confidential information in our organisations, which, if more widely known, would actually allow people to do their jobs better. Budgets, salaries, payments etc. Greater frontline control over systems and procedures, increased transparency and meritocracy could all emerge and do good rather than harm. Even as old staid organisations and outdated senior management teams begin to feel the pain of operating in yesterdays ways and structures, times are changing.
I suppose most of the problems begin with what these outdated managers think. Ask them what they think makes employees passionate about work, and they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms. In a recent survey of more than 600 managers, from dozens of companies, to rank the impact on employee motivation and emotions of five workplace factors commonly considered significant - recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress, and clear goals. “Recognition for good work (either public or private)” came out at number one” (FT 2009).
Unfortunately, those managers are wrong. Having just completed seven years of in-company, frontline research and change we now know what the top motivator of performance is— it’s freedom. This was apparent in all organisations, for the workers just wanted the freedom to get on with things and the power to make a difference, their way. As a Leader, you should regard this as very good news, for the key to success is quite simple and in your control. It doesn’t depend on elaborate incentive systems, top rate procedures or rules written in gold font. Just stop managing and let go!
But remember; New ideas, it is said, are first ignored and then ridiculed before finally becoming conventional wisdom. But why bother going through those first two stages with ideas that have merit? Get ahead of the pack. Start the new year with some fresh thinking. Just stop Leading, listen and focus on people .... simple!
I suppose most of the problems begin with what these outdated managers think. Ask them what they think makes employees passionate about work, and they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms. In a recent survey of more than 600 managers, from dozens of companies, to rank the impact on employee motivation and emotions of five workplace factors commonly considered significant - recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress, and clear goals. “Recognition for good work (either public or private)” came out at number one” (FT 2009).
Unfortunately, those managers are wrong. Having just completed seven years of in-company, frontline research and change we now know what the top motivator of performance is— it’s freedom. This was apparent in all organisations, for the workers just wanted the freedom to get on with things and the power to make a difference, their way. As a Leader, you should regard this as very good news, for the key to success is quite simple and in your control. It doesn’t depend on elaborate incentive systems, top rate procedures or rules written in gold font. Just stop managing and let go!
But remember; New ideas, it is said, are first ignored and then ridiculed before finally becoming conventional wisdom. But why bother going through those first two stages with ideas that have merit? Get ahead of the pack. Start the new year with some fresh thinking. Just stop Leading, listen and focus on people .... simple!
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