| Motivating uninterested employees can be a | | | | which immediately makes them feel valued. Many |
| challenge for managers. First, you have to find out | | | | people long for approval and validation, and will |
| what makes them tick. | | | | work hard to achieve a goal that will provide it for |
| Have you ever wondered if anything can get | | | | them. Your job is to provide positive strokes |
| your employees to care about the work they're | | | | whenever possible. |
| doing? | | | | - Competition |
| Managers who are self-starters, who enjoy and | | | | The sales environment is the obvious place to see |
| are motivated by the work they do and the | | | | competition among colleagues and peers. Often it's |
| organization they work for, are sometimes | | | | their competitive nature that makes great |
| puzzled by the perceived lack of motivation of | | | | salespeople. But this personality trait is not |
| their subordinates. The operative word here is | | | | confined to one discipline, and some people will |
| "perceived", because they may, in fact, be | | | | perform well on the job in order to be seen as |
| motivated --- just not in the same way as you. | | | | the best. This can be tricky to manage, and your |
| If you think about it realistically, you don't | | | | job is to enable an outlet for this need in one |
| necessarily want them to love the work, do you? | | | | employee without creating enmity in the others. |
| What you expect is that they perform well on | | | | - Money |
| the job and contribute to the success of your | | | | Let's face it, financial compensation is an important |
| department. They can do that without being | | | | reason to work in the first place, and there's |
| cheerleaders, because everyone is motivated by | | | | nothing wrong with that. For some employees, it's |
| something. It's a matter of finding out what it is. | | | | a powerful incentive and motivation. Your job is to |
| Here are a few of the causes that might make | | | | demonstrate the connection between on-the-job |
| your people tick: | | | | achievement and compensation. Of course, if you |
| - Career ambition | | | | can't legitimately show that connection because |
| These people want to move up in the world, | | | | it's not there, you may have an employee who |
| either in your organization or another. If they can | | | | will never be motivated in that position. |
| clearly see the relationship between their | | | | As a manager, you need to find out what |
| performance in their current positions and the | | | | motivates the individuals that make up your team, |
| chance of promotion, that will do it for them. Your | | | | and then do what you can to help them make |
| job is to help them see the possibilities. | | | | performance on the job the factor that satisfies |
| - Approval and validation | | | | their particular needs. |
| In his groundbreaking 1982 fable, "The One Minute | | | | Remember, what is rewarded is repeated. It's a |
| Manager", Ken Blanchard urged managers to | | | | matter of discovering and offering the right |
| "catch them doing something right." The idea was | | | | rewards. |
| to give immediate positive feedback to people, | | | | |