Motivational Management By Participation

Motivational Management By Participation
By Tommy Franks

Regardless of where you work or supervise, your behavior as a leader/manager has a direct impact on staff performance, productivity, satisfaction, and turnover. You can MOTIVATE and inspire others!

Perhaps the single most important technique for motivating other people is to treat them the same way you want to be treated: as responsible professionals. This is what I tell my people…all the time. It sounds simple, but most supervisors do not know this SECRET. We can gives others respect, dignity, fairness, incentive, and guidance…and this will create a motivated, productive, satisfying, and secure work environment. Yes!

Unfortunately, as soon as the complexities of some of our problems evolve and mix with human relationships, even some of the best-intentioned supervisors may find the management side of their jobs deteriorating into chaos. In today's society with the expanding workloads, fewer resources, greater expectations, increasing tasks, and closer scrutiny…especially from third-parties, the complexities are increasing!
Leaders/managers have tremendous responsibility and sometimes very little real authority. Job performance is reflected more in the bottom line than in the quality of customer service. Why do some leaders thrive while others burn out? The answer lies in the leader's ability to inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment among fellow team members.

Sometimes, we have to UNLEARN certain things to be more effective. Good management techniques used to be simple. The boss told employees what to do and they did it. No one worried if somebody's feelings were hurt along the way. Employees who failed to toe the line were either whipped into shape or fired. These authoritarian (rigid) managers believed that authority should be obeyed. Therefore, they expected unquestioned obedience from their subordinates. What could be simpler? Fear ran the work force! The system was efficient and effective. It worked for awhile! Hello! But today's workforce is much different than yesterday. Consequently, we have some old wineskins still around attempting to mix the new wine into the workplace. It will not work. And to tell you the truth, I do not think that it ever was the most efficient use of resources.

The autocratic (tyrannical and oppressive) model worked for centuries. The boss ruled… without question or negotiation. First and second line supervisors…in turn…had their own hierarchy. Authority was understood, respected, and obeyed.
Some of these autocratic (despotic) managers led the way because they honestly and consciously believed it was the best management style. For most, however, it was how they were treated throughout their careers … particularly on their first job. The cycle works very much like child abuse, where the abused child grows up to be an abusive adult. If you were managed by an autocrat, it is very likely that your most natural, comfortable method of management reflects that of some previous supervisor…

Why change at all? Why not continue with the authoritarian approach? Because it DOES NOT work in today's marketplace. While fear as a management style can accomplish impressive short-term results, the long term consequences are normally devastating. With high demand and short supply of resources, no leader can afford to alienate others. Similarly, efficient support staffs are also becoming harder to recruit and train…as the technology of the workplace speeds along at a tremendous pace. Disgruntled employees may vent their frustrations by being rude to customers, performing poorly, quitting, or complaining to upper management. Some supervisors may even face lawsuits for treating subordinates unfairly. This happens often in government at the tax payer's expense.

An autocratic (tyrannical) management style feeds high staff turnover and low employee morale. Low morale, in turn, causes a decline in productivity and in the quality of customer service. And while many autocratic managers still populate the American workforce, the current reforms demand higher efficiency and productivity. Motivational Management By Participation (Participatory Teamwork) and Team Playing (treating others the way that we would like to be treated) will eventually squeeze out these managers.

In short, motivational management produces the best results. Leaders who focus on positive reinforcement rather than fear, intimidation, and manipulation will be the successful leaders/managers in the next millennium. Period!

Autocratic (dictatorial) management is a learned behavior focusing on dramatic, short-term results. I must emphasize and reiterate, true change can come about only from within. Such change requires an understanding of the need for a new management approach. Motivating yourself to change is the first step in learning to motivate others. If you are NOT motivated, you will NEVER motivate someone else! Decisions that incorporate the ideas of a group are vastly superior to the single viewpoint of one person imposed on the rest of the group. None us are as smart/effective as ALL of US! Huge advances in information technology and vast amounts of new information pounding at us every day make it impossible for a single leader to know more than the sum of his/her subordinates. Each team member's knowledge and perspective are essential to good decision making. Decisions that incorporate the ideas of the group are vastly superior to the viewpoint of one single person imposed on the rest of the group. Period!

In past generations, employees stayed with a company for the duration of an entire career. Today, people change jobs several times during their working years and many change careers altogether. This adaptation to change gives employees more options. When a well-trained employee quits, the business incurs not only out-of-pocket hiring/training costs, but also (sometimes) hiring someone who is less knowledgeable, effective, and productive…as a Team Member.

Fundamental changes in American society also herald the end of the autocratic (oppressive) manager. The extended family unit…two-parent households…Divorce…quick mobility undermine the role of the nuclear family. Most leaders now know about and accept child care, family leave, and single-parent households. But I gotta tell you, this creates a void that was previously filled with powerful family units which had a feeling of "belonging"! The role of the traditional family is being replaced by the workplace. More and more employees look for jobs where people matter. Such employees want to work with leaders/managers who understand them and who care about them. This presents a huge challenge for businesses and creates a responsibility for which most leaders are currently unprepared.

Autocratic (despotic) management requires less skill and effort than participatory management. The decision to change requires commitment. In the historical autocratic model, the manager simply exercised his/her authority, made a decision, and took responsibility for the results…if the results were positive. If the results were negative, the manager usually looked for a scapegoat! Hello!
Hence, participatory management (Team Work) means learning and playing by a whole new set of rules. This type of change is not difficult, but some managers may want to remain a dinosaur or fossil! The first step toward a new leadership style is deciding that we want to change and embrace a better quality of life. Involving our staff in decision making requires diverse and refined interpersonal skills. We need to learn the capabilities and aspirations of each subordinate in order to use participatory techniques. Time constraints, various personality traits, and lack of motivation can often make the managers' efforts…in developing these skills a little complicated and perhaps frustrating. Therefore, behavior change takes time, focus, and practice.

Good leadership is the result of daily conditioning. The following qualities will lead to successful motivational management: Good Planning, Teaching/Mentoring, Delegating (do NOT dump), Encouraging independent thinking, Building a Team, LISTENING, Being a Good Example, Accepting Responsibility, and Sharing the Spotlight.

Planning is an important aspect of effective management. We need to plan our time and resources accordingly. Remember the phrase, "A lack of planning on my part does not create an emergency on your part". Good planning involves a sense of strategic direction. What does the team need to do to get to an established goal? What constraints can be identified? Can each member of the team contribute? Sometimes, detailed action plans for certain strategies are critically important.

The key to effective management is how we involve our subordinates in the development of these plans. Solicit input from all and listen with an open mind. The people who actually do the work can provide us with invaluable insight into how to get the job done. Negotiate a consensus and then make certain everyone agrees on who will do what and when. Once an action plan is adopted, provide the team with the proper resources; ie., the funds, equipment, and personnel with the right skills to execute the plans.

Become a teacher. Effective motivational and participatory management is essential in becoming a good teacher…one who views any shortcoming as an opportunity to grow. Always focus on the potential of the individual. In doing so, we will consistently support our employees, helping them discover the paths to success. We need to share our commitment with subordinates. Know this: Our personal power is greatly enhanced when we live up to our own principles and values.

Remember this: To be an effective teacher we do NOT need to know everything our subordinates know. Rather, we need to invest our energy in creating opportunities for our subordinates to become experts in their skilled areas. Then, give them the chance to demonstrate their expertise. As our subordinates grow, reward them, nurture them, assist with their careers, and be involved with their professional growth in every way possible.

Delegate. Never Dump! The easiest way to become good at delegation is to surround yourself with subordinates whose abilities you respect. Use your people to the best of their capabilities. When people sense that you expect great things from them, they tend to be challenged by that expectation and work hard to live up to it. Load your people with responsibility. Provide them with the resources to do the job and never be critical or punitive when they make mistakes…and they will…and so will you! Hello!

Delegation crosses the line and becomes dumping when we delegate only the work we don't want to do ourselves; ie., like keeping all the "glorious" fun projects for ourselves. We must never fail to provide adequate resources for our subordinates to complete their work. Delegate both the responsibility and the authority to do the job. Never abandon your subordinates. Provide them with your time/guidance/ and personal counsel when they need it.

Encourage Independent Thinking: Consistently encourage your subordinates to come to you with problems and solutions. If they come to you only with problems, it's your job to elicit their opinion for correcting the situation. Listen to their suggestions. Draw them out. Help them to think the solution through. Ask them questions and encourage them. Lead them to a workable solution. Such independent thinking demands your recognition and tells you that that your solution is not the only solution. It may not even be the best solution. Give your subordinates the latitude to try new options, within limits of course, and your workers will start to develop their real potential. YES!

Build a Team: Effective participatory leaders/managers strive to build cohesive teams, seeing themselves as the Team Captain…and Chief Servant. The team captain inspires excellence and earns loyalty, SERVING as the Chief Servant…serving as a role model to be admired, NOT feared. Fear is counter-productive! The most effective teams comprise members with diverse skills and personalities. Sometimes, these are also the most difficult teams to manage. It can be frustrating work, but the rewards are tremendous when you watch the team become greater than the sum of its parts. Determine the goals of the team. To manage the team successfully, make sure everyone clearly understands his/her role in reaching those goals. Communicate the rules or norms for operating together. For instance, a rule that many successful teams adopt is, "When you have a problem with any team member, it is your responsibility to discuss the problem directly with that team member. If you approach another team member instead, you will immediately be referred to the team member who has caused you difficulty." As the team leader, it is also your responsibility to help integrate the individual personalities of team members. Encourage cooperation/coordination among team members. This may occasionally mean sharing the perspective of one member with another to facilitate mutual understanding and respect.

LISTEN: Many managers talk about being good listeners, yet this skill often remains an area in need of substantial improvement. The benefits of good listening are numerous. Relationships improve, productivity and work performance are enhanced, team spirit is fostered, morale increases, and your staff gains better perspective and understanding of your mission/objectives. Good listening skills engender trust. And trust is what separates effective participatory leaders from autocratic (despotic, oppressive) managers.

If you're listening effectively, the odds are that your subordinate is talking 80% of the time, and you're talking only 20% of the time. When you speak, you ask short, simple questions that draw the person out. What's more, you ask questions in a concerned, non-threatening style and tone. Good listeners will let their subordinates vent when necessary and acknowledge their feelings. A good leader will not be condemnatory or judgmental!

It is critical that the listener stay open and non-defensive, conveying genuine concern, no matter what the staff member says. Maintain the attitude that this person is your teammate and wants to improve things. Learn all you possibly can from your teammates so you are able to address their concerns effectively. Demonstrating your concern by helping team members resolve problems to their satisfaction not only strengthens the unit, it also provides flexibility for you when problems that are beyond your control arise. Past successes build trust, so your teammates are more likely to listen to you and be reasonable when a problem exceeds your authority.

Set an Example: People rarely learn from what we tell them to do. More often they learn from example. If you have any doubts, go back to the discussion of autocratic managers and child abusers. Not only does the example you set dictate your success as a leader/ manager, but also it teaches others how to lead. Set a good example!
Start by living up to the rules that you have already negotiated with team members. Treat each staff person with respect, dignity, professionalism, and kindness. Be courteous. Keep your cool in crisis situations. Your calm will be just as contagious as your panic and temper flare-ups. Keep your word…to the letter. Keep you word! Nothing undermines trust in a professional setting more precipitously than a manager who breaks his/her commitments.

Accept Responsibility: Perhaps the most frightening aspect of management is that you have become responsible for someone else's performance. People do things their own way and sometimes make mistakes. While your subordinates are responsible to you for their mistakes, you are responsible to your boss for those mistakes. Don't pass the blame down to your subordinates. It's your department. The buck stops with you. Your team respects your integrity and trusts you to lead. You will become a champion, not an oppressor.

Share the Spotlight: I cannot emphasize this too much! Yes, you must accept the responsibility for things that sometimes go wrong, but you must also give your subordinates their due credit for everything that goes right. Never take credit for a subordinate's work! Don't do it! This is STEALING and the same as THEFT! Mention their names at every possible opportunity. Do this and you will be a saint! Ignore this and you will be a complete nincompoop with no respect!

Don't be afraid that this approach endangers your own career. You were made a supervisor because others in authority recognized your capabilities. The test of your value as a supervisor is your ability to create a productive and efficient team. Show management that working for you is the best thing since jelly beans. Promote your staff by drawing attention to each subordinate's excellent performance. If your team is performing at a high level, you will not need to blow your own horn…Your value will be obvious. Do you get my drift?

WHAT will it TAKE to be SUCCESSFUL IN the 21st Century? Assume responsibility for your own actions. If you are not successful, don't blame others. Take it on the chin and learn from it. Assume responsibility for your emotional reactions. It's not what happens to you that matters. It's your reaction to what has happened to you. Stand back and ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Believe me, I have been there. Never be afraid to say, "I was wrong. I have learned a valuable lesson through this!"
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Identify the potential in each of your subordinates. Remember that people tend to live up to our expectations of them. Let your people know how terrific there are. Brag on them. Encourage them! Tell them that they are doing an excellent job! Make an inventory of the resources at your disposal and use those resources to help your staff perform better. We live in a world of limited resources. Given this restraint, how can we optimize and maximize the results? Be optimistic. Optimism is contagious…so is pessimism. If your team is going to develop a positive, can-do attitude, you will need to set the tone. Develop a team vision for your department. Define what the team will become…make it inspiring! Be enthusiastic! This is particularly powerful when you develop your vision as a team.

Set specific and measurable goals to make that vision come true. Include time frames and resource requirements. Treat others with empathy and respect…no matter what. Gain the independence, power, and self-respect that come from doing the right thing, without regard to what others do. Think less about your own needs and more about the needs of your team. You will reap what you sow. Set an example. Be a high performer! Work hard and smart. People will follow your example. Be honest with yourself and your team. Realize that eventually, people who work with you will know you for who you are. Be open to their criticism and learn from it. Set a schedule for your own training and development…stick to it. Keep yourself growing and motivated. You're worth it. Model your management style after someone who inspires you…someone whom you admire…perhaps a mentor. It's hard work to cut a path through the woods. It's much simpler to walk in someone else's tracks. Learn from your mentor! And then be a mentor to others!

Good input equals good output. Find and consistently use good sources of management guidance for reading, viewing, and listening. You are same person you were ten years ago with the exception of two things: The people you have met and the books you have read! PERIOD!

We are now in the 21st Century…facing all kinds of exciting possibilities unlimited. No man or woman is an island. We not isolated. We work together. We play together. We plan together. We activate the resources that lie within us!
We no longer make decisions based solely at the top of an organization. More and more mid-level management staff and employees at all levels participate in the decision making process. This is good! This is the missing ingredient that has been needed for the past 100 years. In customer service, our vision is to help people, support people, bring people together, and increase our mission strength toward cooperation. Our focus on customer service becomes even stronger now. As you well know, customers not only want personal attention and professionalism, but today…in our society…they expect it. We expect it! This is good! During the next five years, much emphasis will be placed on quality, focus, value added, and better support mechanisms for customers. Every individual is a customer!

Today, as the nuclear family becomes even more mobilized with increased technological advances, we still need to remind ourselves that we are human and NOT machines. During the next few months and years, exciting breakthroughs in technology, medical science, education, and outer space will occur more rapidly. However, we as human beings will need to slow down a bit because we still have basic needs; ie., to be respected, admired, loved, nurtured, and we all need to feel appreciated. Our exciting achievements will be no substitute for these internal/external rewards. We still need to be accepted and needed. We all have emotions, feelings, aspirations, passions, dreams, and visions. Our visions come from having faith and trust in whatever we conceive or dream possible!

We live in a Win/Win society. We refuse to live or work in a vacuum any longer. We now network and create a winning environment around us by creating a good support system. Yes, we still have idiosyncrasies such as equipment or computer failures, slow modems, FAX delays, server problems, and network problems, but this is the price that we pay for living in the 21st Century. These are the good old days! Hence, we continue creating a winning environment in the workplace. We continue to implement support systems. We continue to develop a new respect for one another because we need each other for the maximization of our full potential. Not one of us is as smart or clever as "all of us"!

I believe we are communicating better today than ever before. We know it is so important to understand our customers. We must take the time to consider his/her point of view. In going the extra mile with others, we find that a "bonding" begins to take place…Thus creating a win-win relationship. This blending of both individuals' intent contributes toward a collective consciousness for higher growth.
In general, people are more positive today than last century. As we continue to be positive in our thoughts and purpose, this will enable us to create marvelous results in our lives. We will continue to experience stories/victories of triumphs, awards, and joys as we work together toward a common goal and purpose. WHY? Because we are people of "The Right Stuff" and people of destiny!

"Dream on"…Ever heard this expression before? I gotta tell you, in America, anything is possible. Yes, we will continue to dream. If you can dream it, visualize it, or believe it can happen, you are NOT far from tremendous success.
Personally, I believe that everyone is born to lead; however, some people in the last century died without ever knowing what they were born to do, what their purpose in life was all about, without knowing who they were, and without knowing true victory and great accomplishments! WHY? They did not DARE to be in themselves. They tried to be what others told them to be. They did not attempt to achieve their goals...because they either had none or only mediocre ones. They tried to be a copy and not an original!

We have choices. We can either be positive or negative. All the resources to reinforce either a positive or negative vision/dream are available.
Today, we can visualize and actualize our success and dreams by activating the following in our lives: Purpose, Planning, Passion, Persistence, and Patience.
Purpose: We need to define our dreams. Create our visions. Write out our goals. I believe that part of our purpose is to love life…love what we do…and stay true to our values and principles. This in no way precludes change when change is needed to make us better individuals, especially in our relationships with others. When we deal with customers, colleagues, or fellow workers, we need to check ourselves to see if our purpose and motive is a reflection of who we really are in order to maintain a winning environment. In so doing, conflict, concerns, struggles, or "heartburn" will be reduced dramatically.

Planning: Our purpose must be translated into a plan…a plan that is logical, rational, sound, and articulate that defines our goals and objectives to include financial and sociological goals. Another part of planning is our professional image. This includes the way we deal with others, the way we dress, the words we use, our accountability, and even our work spaces. In times past, I have become so involved in what I was doing that I forgot some of the necessary mundane details. Sometimes, it is carrying out these boring (tedious) details with staff support that helps us to maintain our focus and planning. Planning details consist of day-to-day operations, using our time management skills wisely, setting goals, targeting completion dates, financial budgets, strategic planning, organizational development, training, research and development, testing our ideas, and human resources.

Passion: Passion is the driving force behind putting our purpose and plans. Passion helps us to get into action. It keeps us committed and motivated. It is the vehicle that transports us to our destination. The positive side of passion is…its exciting, kinetic energy that seems to create a life of its own and it often transforms our work into pure joy. (This is no joke!)

Persistence: What happens when the "joy" or "passion" is NOT there? Sometimes, things can get a little difficult and strained. Our spirits may be "down" or perhaps we seem a little tired. Maybe, we are having a "bad hair day". I certainly have them occasionally! This is when our persistence kicks in to help us stay on the path. At times, we will need a kind word or two from friends or co-workers…a little understanding. At other times we may be the one who gives the kindness or empathy. Remember, we are a Team. Remember how far we have traveled together. Give acknowledgment and encouragement where needed…sometimes in large doses. Thus, persistence means having the courage to look at our mistakes, reassess our next move, and then move forward toward the goal. It means that we must persevere, stick to the task at hand, and keep "trucking" on without procrastination, but completed the project.

Patience: I must admit, this is one point that Tom Franks must continually confront in my own life and continue to work on and fine tune. It is not easy to be patient in the work place. It's not easy to wait for the right things to happen or for justice/fairness to prevail. However, the waiting time can be most creative and resourceful. It is during these intervals that we create new ideas. We have a golden opportunity to restore our balance by reflecting upon our successes. We can be proactive and productive by using this creative waiting time to pause and take inventory of where we are and where we want to go. Patience does not mean that we stop or give up or give in to our doubts. Patience means allowing and watching the process unfold. Patience teaches us to listen to our intuition and insight for guidance. We re-evaluate, reconnoiter, take another look at the situation, and re-survey the circumstances. Patience also gives us time to renew ourselves, refuel our passion, and become re-energized with excitement. Patience is sometimes needed in our lives to force us to slow down, assess our position, change our strategy, and create new plans, new goals, and new dreams.

BOTTOMLINE: We are leaders! We choose to inspire others. Inspiration is the direct opposite of intimidation, manipulation, or domination. To motivate another human being is one of the greatest achievements of life. We choose to draw the very best out of other people and inspire them to maximize their true potential, talents, gifts, and abilities. Everyone has the capacity, potential, and raw material to become a great leader by the design of our Creator. It is my hope that we can bring our personal light into the workplace to illuminate the lives of others. By sharing our own process and inspiring others to create their own success, we become a powerful catalyst for transforming dreams into reality.