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The_Little_Corporation_Who_Cried_Wolf_Part_2
| The Little Corporation Who Cried Wolf Part 2
So...are you guys all revved up and ready to go? Are you
committed to doing whatever it takes to motivate your staff and
create a super-charged, mega-energized department??
As we discussed last time, your attitude and motivation level is
absolutely critical to the success of your department
re-energization plan. This plan just cannot work if you are
anything less that 100% committed and motivated to make it
happen. It's up to you to model your work ethic and attitude to
your staff.
Now I'm not saying all of this to put undue pressure on you. I
doubt you need any more of that. I'm just trying to
over-emphasize it so that you will never lose sight of the
importance you play in all of this. On those days that you find
yourself discouraged or un-motivated, remind yourself that YOU
are the key to your department's success!!!
Okay, enough of that, let's get onto the fun stuff. Uh, let me
re-phrase that...Let's get onto the stuff. Or should I re-phrase
it yet again, perhaps a bit more formally this time...Let us
proceed with the discussion of employee motivation techniques
which, when implemented consistently over a period of time, will
significantly enhance the attitude, motivation levels and
therefore productivity of one's staff.
Nah, I like let's get onto the stuff better. But what is this
stuff? Well, there are six parts to this stuff. So today we'll
focus on parts 1 -3, and next issue we'll wrap it up.
Stuff #1: Let them know your plans.
As you may have heard me say before, communication is KEY.
Especially when you are dealing with a situation like our
current one. In our situation we are presuming that employees
are de-moralized and de-motivated because Senior Management has
been less than truthful or communicative. It's up to you to
assure your staff that you DO believe in telling them the truth
and that you plan to keep them in the loop as much as you can.
So tell them you are sorry that things have been especially
tough and tell them that you are committed to turning things
around so that your department can be a functional AND fun place
to work.
Announce that you are launching a plan to make your department
the BEST and ask for their input. Ask them for ideas as to how
you can work together to accomplish your goal of creating the
"super-department."
Make sure to impress upon them that you are totally committed to
the effort and that it is NOT just some B.S. cheerleading
meeting.
Stuff #2 Be involved, be visible and be around.
Now more than ever before it's really beneficial for you to be
in your department. This shows your staff that you are involved
in the daily departmental issues - you're not just a figure-head
sitting in your office reading the WSJ.
So get out there. Help your employees out. Walk around and ask
them how things are going. Be available for questions or
consultation. Show them that you are part of the team and are
there to help them be successful.
And while you're out there, spread good vibes. Don't seem to be
walking around just looking for problems (although you do want
to keep an eye out for those). Be an upbeat, positive role-model
for your employees. They need it!!
Stuff #3 Clarify your expectations.
To get this ship running smoothly, you'll need to let your crew
know exactly what they need to be doing. Now I'm not talking
about micro-managing here. You don't need to hover and hand-hold
to make sure that things are getting done to your liking. What I
do mean is clarifying expectations in a more general manner.
Pull out those job descriptions and review them. Are they
current? Are your employees performing functions that aren't
really even necessary? Since you are spending more time in your
department now, it should be easy for you to get a handle on
who's spending their time doing what. Again, ask for their
input. Ask them about how they see their role in the department
and what they feel their most important responsibilities are.
Action Steps for Success Now that the first three steps, or
should I say "stuffs" have been outlined, it's time to make them
work for you.
In order to let the team in on your department re-energization
plans, schedule a really fun meeting. Put on your best "rah, rah
team" hat and write up an outline of the things you are going to
discuss and the kinds of questions you are going to ask to get
people involved. To set the tone, have food and drinks
available. But try to do something unusual. Pizza and donuts are
so overdone, don't you think?
Onto the be involved, be visible and be around piece...it's
pretty simple in theory, but when it comes to actually making it
happen, it will be harder than you think. To get yourself in the
groove, schedule lots of time on your calendar for this. Make
yourself do it. It is really important!!
Last, but certainly not least and certainly not the most fun,
clarifying your expectations of your team. Pretty
straightforward this one, but again the kind of a thing you have
to force yourself to do. Who wants to review job descriptions,
right? Yuck!! But it's got to be done, so just get it over with.
You'll be glad when it's over and it's well worth the effort!!
Now don't be overwhelmed. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it is
sooooooooooo worth it. Your department will start to run more
smoothly, productivity will increase, your employees will be
happier and YOUR stress level will radically decrease. So
whenever you're discouraged about the plan, remember the
outcomes.
Now go out there and be a STAR!!
About the author:
Molly Luffy, MBA, owner of Work Ethic Wizard, dedicated to
helping managers regain their sanity and employees survive and
thrive in today’s corporation. Author of “Super-Charge Your
Promotion Quotient: 225 Success Strategies for the New
Professional.” www.workethicwizard.com/default.cfm
molly@workethicwizard.com
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