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Understanding and Motivating People
From Legal Network News
Last month we talked about effective communication skills. In order for us to communicate competently we need to hone our listening and directing skills and be aware of the "climate" in which we attempt to communicate. Before we can even try to understand motivational theories and relate these to our personnel, our communication skills must be impeccable.
In discussions with various people in all walks of life, the issue inevitably comes up: How do we get people motivated? I think I have come to understand that we cannot motivate other people, but I believe we can create an environment in which they will motivate themselves. Since we can't make them do what we think needs to be done, at the very least we can control the environmental factors.
Mayo said that if you allow workers, in special groups, to help determine policies, procedures, job methods, etc. -- production improves! Some specifics:
Being singled out to work on a project gave employees the feeling of belonging to an elite group.
Managers/supervisors who were patient, listened to their people, and avoided emotional scenes reported higher production and better attendance.
Individuals who felt a sense of belonging went further with projects than management ever envisioned.
In related Michigan studies, research focused on the supervisor/manager instead of the individual workers. Researchers found that the supervisor/manager style of managing made the difference in the group's willingness to work. For example:
Effective supervisors paid more attention to their people's problems than they did to the work routine.
Effective supervisors used less direct supervision and gave more latitude for workers to participate in job decisions.
Effective supervisors kept their people informed on their progress and updated on current department, company, firm issues.
The most important result of this study was the description of two basic styles of managers/supervisors:
A. Employee-centered supervisors -- This yielded a higher production rate
B. Production-centered supervisors -- This yielded a lower production rate
There is no doubt that the more we pay attention to our personnel and their associated problems, without hovering over their every move, the more motivated they will be. The result? Maximized productivity.