“What would be valuable for you to know about a team member, as a manager?” I asked.
“Well, what motivates them. What makes them want to come to work,” answered Nathan.
“There is a story about three men who were working together, each doing the same job. When asked about their work, each replied differently. The first said that he was breaking rock. The second said that he was constructing a building. The third said that he and his colleagues were building a school in their community so their children would have a place to learn to read.”
I watched Nathan’s eyes as he absorbed the story. Finally he spoke.
“I suppose it would be valuable to know what is important to each of my team members.”
“Why would that be valuable to know?”
“I have to find the connection,” Nathan started, “I have to find the connection between what is important to them and their work.”
“And if you can find the connection?”
“Then we are in. The sky turns blue, the flowers bloom and the birds sing.”
“And if you cannot find the connection?”
“Then the work will be repetitious, the work will be like breaking rock.”
“And?”
“And, so, I have to keep searching to make the connection.” The conversation became quiet. Nathan was searching, perhaps thinking about his own connection. -TF
I enjoyed the read. If only many would understand your points, workers would not find work treacherous, rather they find work more fulfilling. Why spend close to a third of your life under someone that doesn’t even seek to understand your motivation for working? A good manager will seek to find motivations of their co-workers. As I mentioned on my blog today, either a person will work with freedom or they will be enslaved. Which will be a better worker?
Employees are motivated by five things. Each view them differently depending on where they are in their life, personality, values, etc. Good managers find out each employee needs to be motivated and satisfied on the job.
1. The job itself: The work is pleasurable, challenging, and fun.
2. Pay and benefits
3. Coworkers
4. The boss
5. Opportunity for promotion.
The number #1 reason why people leave companies? Their boss.
I have this discussion a few times in class. In order to understand motivation, a person needs to understand the human person. This is a philosophical question, not a business or even a psychological question. What is the purpose of man? This is an age old question. Yes, some are motivated by money, benefits, vacation time, etc. However, personal treatment by their manager will be the biggest motivation as James said.
Many understand work as a necessary evil. The flip side is that man is made to just work, hatred of work and exaltation of work. Both will be a downfall. Work is a good. Man becomes more human through work. But this is not to trump all other goods like love, family, and neighbor. To do so ends in communism and it is quite evident how that ends. If I work for the good of another, my motivation becomes a higher kind than motivation from money, etc. Should we be paid for a “good of the other?” Of course. Capitalism offers a wonderful way to see which goods we offer our neighbor will be demanded.
Ultimately a boss will either be a slave driver or mercenary employer or he will treat each person as the number one investment of the company. There really are not more options.
In addition to the excellent comments of JQ, I’d like to pop this question: ‘When are we human enough to be a manager?’ Is it just a matter of age or education? What are your thoughts…
Kurt,
Interesting question. I am reminded of the words of Lisa Haneberg as she characterizes Management as a Social Act.
I would say that age nor education matters that much. Managers (a good manager) have acquired a skill that enables them to bring others to participate or cooperate with goal that is good for the team.
Managers are found in all ages. They start with parents requiring children hold their hand crossing the streat. Eventually, a child mananger is the team captain for their classmates when playing soccer at free play. As a most things in life, the child needs to grow into adulthood and mature. This means their management must also grow past childhood managing skills. This sounds obvious, but it is all too common. Think how much gossip, cliches, etc. still occur with adults. How many hiring managers pick a candidate based on child management team captain skills? This happens all the time. The best salesman is promoted to manager, even though she has no leadership skills to lead others. That is like the classmates that choose the best athlete to be team captain and automatically assume quaterback.