Motivation Matters
MOTIVATION is such a scarce commodity. It is costlier than gold. Dearer too. Ask any employer worth his sugar. Most of them would do just about anything for it. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, one can't have everything. So, you have companies brimming with B-school products and people who are at the top of their profession who just can't seem to get along with each other. And what is more, they either keep getting fired or quitting their companies or worse, staying on when they shouldn't.
Why, you may ask, has such a thing come to pass? Good question. Why, you may also ask, do these organisations do so little about it? Another very good question. To tell you the truth, most of the really big companies do take this whole motivation thing very seriously. They spend enormous amounts of money on trying to figure out the best way to keep their employees charged up. They want employees who have zest for life, employees who believe that they can move mountains, employees who can make the impossible possible, employees who have fire in their bellies and don't have to take an antacid because of it later. Now, they are a rare breed indeed and a vast majority of companies don't have them. In fact, what some of them have is quite the opposite - disgruntled coffee-spilling work-shirking malingerers whose middle names are Complacency and Catastrophe. And what is sad is that it is not that they don't have talent. It is just that they are apathetic towards their work and other things in general. So, what does such a company do? Layoff the entire lot and recruit a new bunch? That wouldn't really solve anything, except that there probably wouldn't be such a line at the office canteen. No, the answer lies in the pit of the abyss. As is said (by whom I am not sure), kill the disease not the diseased.
Simply put, your best course of action is to try and convert the present bunch of bespectacled mustard-stained shirts into tie-wearing go-getters. But how? Here's how:
a. Think, think: There must be something wrong somewhere. Find out where the leak in the fuel pipe is. Either you are doing something wrong or somebody else is. Dust your magnifying glass, wear your thinking hat and scrutinise each and every bit of your company's system to find out just what is sapping your company's energy.
b. Change: Once you find out where the problem is, correct what needs to be corrected. If you still haven't found out where the problem is, make some changes anyway. You don't have to go in for large-scale restructuring (unless it is a particularly severe situation). Often, the smallest change, even if it is just a token one, can make a world of difference.
c. Pay up: Incentives are important. You have to spend money to make money. Ask yourself this: do you have an equitable reward system in place? No? Then that is probably why your productivity cap is screwed on so tight. Equitable is an unpredictable and dangerous weapon. Especially if it is not defined properly. You never know which way it can sway. It could give wings to the morale of your workers or it could dampen the spirits of your finest employees because they know that despite their best efforts they would be paid only marginally better than that co-worker who spends seven of his eight working hours playing Pacman. But then, all said and done, it is the least of the evils so if it is already working for you, don't take the trouble to fix it.
d. Spell it, don't yell it: Criticism should come in sugarcoated pills. Remember to handle this bit carefully. If you do have to berate somebody do it nicely. Never make it personal and do it in private.
e. Be a cheerleader: In a strictly metaphorical sense. What your employee needs more than anything else is a good wallop on his back every now and again. Be appreciative when he takes the initiative to do something and always encourage him to give you his ideas and feedback.
Remember, when it comes to people, there are no rules set in stone. The best results usually come after a lot of trial and error. Motivation is invaluable but it need not be scarce. However, there are two things you must have in ample quantities - sincerity in your efforts and a certain degree of flexibility in your attitude.
ARJUN SENGUPTA
arjuns.hyd@cnkonline.com
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