“Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them. They make the impossible happen.” Dr Robert Jarvik
Synopsis: Managers often unwittingly de-motivate their employees, even in the midst of attempts to do the exact opposite. In this special report, Sid Smith, Chief Attitude Enhancer for Achieve Coaching, outlines the Ten most common ways employee morale is stifled, and how you, the manager, can reverse the process. Learn the 10 best ways to move everyone towards a more positive, productive attitude.
A Serious Misconception
There exists in today´s business world a serious misconception. It´s an idea that came into being in the 19th century, and for some reason is still prevalent in our Internet, Information-based world. Strange as it may seem, there are still a lot of business managers who believe that employee morale is something that can actually be managed.
Blasphemy! You say. Of course employee morale can be managed.
Ever try to herd a bunch of cats or predict the stock market? Most people don´t realize that attempting to manage employee morale is no easier, or predictable. I know my comments go against years of studies and research on motivation, stress, and morale – studies that have proven, unequivocally that morale and motivation can be managed by following a few simple guidelines. If this is true, then why do these guidelines keep changing?
No, it´s not that the processes or techniques experts on motivation have advocated are flawed. Quite the opposite is true – programs that are intended to recognize employees for their good, hard work are to be applauded for their successes. They work when implemented consistently, and at the right time. Hence, the misconception that employee morale is something that can be managed, like a shopping list or your pet hamster.
Studies have concluded, and books have been written that certain things can be done to insure employees stay committed and motivated; that is, they maintain a high level of morale. I just pulled out my book by the Harvard Business Review on Motivating People to get a sense of what the experts are saying. They say in the introduction that “We live in a knowledge economy. The core assets of the modern business enterprise aren´t its buildings, machinery, and real estate, but the intelligence, understanding, skills, and experience of its employees.” How true.
The authors speak of participatory structures and communal values. They suggest pulling solutions out of employees instead of pushing solutions onto them. Some still recommend the old kick in the pants form of motivation, but in a “positive” way. Are you old enough to remember Managing by Objectives, which eventually became Management by walking around? These, too, were techniques managers used to motivate employees.
I want to repeat what I said earlier. There is nothing wrong with these techniques and ideas about motivation. They are all (even the kick in the pants) valuable and viable ways to motivate employees. The problem is that they are simply techniques, not solutions, and certainly not answers to the age-old question of how do you motivate employees. They are like the affirmation you tape to your bathroom mirror – within a week you´ll no longer see it. Whenever something new (a new incentive program, for example) is introduced, there is excitement and anticipation over how it will work. Then, within a period of time (sometimes a very short period of time), this program falls into the category of “ho-hum”. It becomes the norm – something expected – and eventually is no longer an incentive, but a requirement.
What most people fail to evaluate is the underlying reasons why a particular program or methodology works when it works. They simply read that, for example, if a manager gives employees the freedom to choose their attitude, then all will be well and morale will improve. But WHY does this particular technique work, and when? Those are the real questions, and the answers will vary according to the time and place of the question.
Motivation is a broad subject, with thousands of theories and as many techniques and methodologies to motivate people. What I propose is not a technique, or even a series of methodologies. I propose a way of being that is true to the nature of being human. Every day is different, and as such it is more a matter of who the manager is being (a leader, a manager, a friend, an ally, an authority figure) than what she or he is doing that matters. There are plenty of examples of organizations who offer no special programs or incentives that have very high employee morale. Why? Because the leaders of the organization promote commitment, dedication, and a high degree of ownership through their behaviors and actions. If you get nothing else from this report, I want you to understand that who you are has more to do with generating a high degree of employee morale than what you do.
Employees aren´t dumb, and they´ll see right through any incentive program. If they believe that you´re trying to manipulate them into doing more work for less pay, they´ll figure out a way around the system, and probably gripe about it in the mean time. Be respectful, and you will engender respect. It´s a simple formula that isn´t so easily carried out. The challenge is that there is no magic formula, or silver bullet that will kill the downward spiral of motivation or morale, or stabilize morale once employees are feeling good. It´s a moving target. That´s why last decade´s theories can be this decade´s nightmares.
The purpose of this special report isn´t to scare you into thinking there is NO solution, or that you may as well throw your hands up and give up any hope motivating your employees. It is possible… and there is also a catch. Being a leader who motivates employees and keeps morale high requires diligence, persistence, and ever watchful eye for the inevitable shifts and changes that take place in the workplace. Nothing is static. Nothing! Everything is in a constant state of change and movement, and if you´re really interested in motivating your employees, you´ll keep this in mind.
As you read this report, I invite you to reflect on how and why your employees are motivated – not just in the past, but in the present moment. While one person may have been motivated by money or financial incentives last year, a recent death of someone close could have completely shifted his or her perspective on life and work. That same person may now be more motivated by interpersonal connection, and if you miss this change you might inadvertently cause them to become disillusioned or distant.
I´m going to lay out ten of the most common ways that employee morale is destroyed, but with a caveat. The ten I list today may be significantly different from the ten I list a year from now. Some may remain on the list, and some may be replaced by other well-intentioned, but ill-timed management actions. As I said, the key is in staying diligent and aware, noticing the changes that take place daily in people´s lives. With each one, watch for themes or patterns that are present in your organization, and approach each with an open mind.
The Top 10 Ways to Destroy Employee Morale
1. Blessed Ignorance.
I know this is a harsh statement, but many managers manage through the art of blessed ignorance. That is, what they don´t communicate won´t hurt them. Call it communication by omission, or maintaining control – not talking to your employees is one of the fastest ways to lose control. There are ample reasons for keeping your employees in the dark:
- You want to promote their independent thinking. Why, after all, should you hold their hands at every turn?
- They don´t need to know every reason behind every decision. Do you want them questioning your authority? Besides, it would take far too much of your time.
- You´re busy with your own projects. It´s OK if you don´t acknowledge every little thing your employees do.
Blessed ignorance takes many forms. It may be in something as simple as a missed birthday or anniversary, or as harsh as giving an assignment without sufficient background information. Managers believe that all employees need is a little direction – tell them what to do, and they´ll go off and do it. Unfortunately this doesn´t take into account people´s natural curiosity and desire to make a difference. Give them just a little more information, such as why this assignment is important, and you might have them completing the assignment ahead of schedule. Keeping your employees in the dark about the purpose of the work you´re asking them to do will surely kill any motivation they have to do a good job.
Successful managers are truly interested in their employees. They care about what´s going on in the employees lives because they know it does effect their performance. They care about what the employees are doing, and they ask the employees what they want, as well as telling the employee what they, as the manager want. I have one client who rarely receives any feedback or direction from her manager, and constantly wonders if she´s going to have a job next month. She doesn´t know if her assignment is really very important, and the attitude she sees in her manager is that it probably isn´t. So, other than to keep her job, what´s her motivation for doing an outstanding job?
A great manager will make sure her employees understand the vital importance of their jobs, and she won´t fake this in her behavior. She will act as if each employee were essential to the success of her organization because she believes it is true. Then, she will have open, honest, and frequent communication with her employees to insure nobody walks around in blessed ignorance.
The Antidote
The antidote to blessed ignorance is compassion, first for oneself, and second for one´s employees. Compassion breaks down any barriers of communication because it requires an understanding of people´s desires and needs. It is a genuine concern for and care of self and others. Cultivate compassion by taking actions that move you as a manager and your employees forward. Even a kick in the pants can be one of the most compassionate actions you can take if it serves to move your employee forward.
2. Faking it.
Have you ever encountered someone who´s so wired they can´t sit still for five minutes? How about when that same person tells you to “settle down”. Not very compelling, is it? It´s like going to a dentist who has really bad teeth. You might feel inspired to take care of your teeth, but not for the best of reasons.
If you, as a manager, don´t believe in the projects or assignments you´re handing your employees, don´t expect them to be all that motivated. If you´re stressed out, unfocused, and unable to keep track of what´s going on in your organization, then why would you expect your employees to be any different? How many managers try to fake having it together, when inside they´re ready to burst out the door and scream at the top of their lungs?
Another example of faking it is one that may seem all too familiar. It´s the manager (real life example) who is a strong proponent of pride of ownership and “empowerment”. Unfortunately, if he sees something he doesn´t like, he pounces on the poor unsuspecting employee as if the entire structural fabric of the universe would dissolve if the employee proceeded according to their own ideas. It´s the manager who says, “go ahead and do your best… but not like that, like this.”
You can´t fake authenticity, and you can´t fake sincerity. You also can´t fake motivation. If the manager isn´t feeling very motivated, he´ll have one heck of a time motivating his staff. Employees will see right through the latest motivational trend if the managers aren´t motivated or excited themselves. Burnt-out managers will create burnt-out employees.
The best leaders don´t fake their enthusiasm, drive, ambition, or attitudes. They have a positive attitude because they believe in what they´re doing, and if they don´t they won´t tray to fake it – they´ll adjust their attitudes, or change their direction until they do believe in what they´re doing.
The Antidote
The antidote to faking it isn´t being authentic, which is what one might expect. Being authentic is the result of being honest. One must first be honest with oneself – about the situation, one´s feelings, beliefs, and one´s attitudes. Honesty – knowing what you actually feel and what you think – create the environment for authentic behavior and actions. Once you cultivate the capacity to be honest with yourself, it isn´t that difficult to be authentic. You will generate more respect than you can imagine through your self-honesty and authenticity.
3. Fault-finding
Many managers were at one time the “technicians”. They had the jobs that they are now managing, and by golly they know that job inside and out. If something is broken, they´ll be sure to know the solution. Unfortunately, fixing problems was how they got promoted into management, and it´s all they know. Their ability to fix and solve problems is what motivates them as managers because it is how they got the attention and recognition they sought.
The problem with this is that it soon becomes an unconscious way of finding faults with others. What if your employees did everything perfectly, and didn´t need any of your advice or help to do their jobs well? How would you get your recognition then? Would one of these people replace you because they´ve proven themselves better at problem solving? It´s a common fear, and one that creates far more problems than it resolves. These managers look for problems. They seek out faults, mistakes, and errors of their employees like heat seeking missiles. Under the guise of “effectiveness” or “quality control”, they´re on a witch hunt for problems to fix.
It´s all wrong, and it will destroy employee morale faster than you can say “total quality management”. Managers who understand this don´t look for problems or faults, but will lead the way through their focus on being the best. They look for the best qualities in their staff, the best actions, the best behaviors, processes, procedures, and methodologies. They encourage each of their team members to also look for the best, and to focus their attention on getting better. They know that by focusing their attention in this way, employees will naturally uncover things that can be improved and will endeavor to find even better ways to do things.
Part of this motivation for improvement is that people naturally want to do well in whatever they´re doing. Another part, and this is where the manager can help, is that when people are at their best, they are also able to work much more efficiently. They can´t be at their best if they´re always focused on problems, or are looking over their shoulders to make sure the boss doesn´t find fault in what they´re doing.
The Antidote
The antidote for fault-finding is to not sweat the small stuff. Focus on the goal, the target, the big compelling reason for the existence of your team or company. What´s your mission, vision and purpose for being in business? What are your values, and how can you align your team with these values? These are what compels people to quality – it´s a pride of ownership that comes from a unified desire to reach a stated goal. If everyone in your group wants to show that they are by far the best in the industry, then quality will take care of itself. Sure, you´ll still want to implement quality procedures, but it is the vision that drives people forward, not fixing problems.
4. Micro Managing.
I know you´ve heard this one before, but you´d be amazed at how often I still see micro-management of employees. It´s tough to be under so much pressure to meet deadlines and still turn out quality products. Everyone is being asked to do more work with fewer resources, and it´s the manager´s job to make sure everything gets done on time and is a quality job.
Micro-managing is sweating the small stuff. It´s paying attention to details that are beyond your control as a manager, and it serves to de-motivate employees and actually slow them down. Ever had someone standing over your shoulder as you´re ready to tap in that 15 foot put? Not only that, but they´re giving you tips about your grip and stroke before you even take the put. Chances are, you´ll miss the put, and not take responsibility for having missed it.
If you can tell me all the details of what your employees are doing, you´re probably micro-managing. If, however, you can tell me each employee´s state of mind, and your expectations of them given the tasks they´re doing and what´s going on in their lives, you´re probably not micro-managing. You definitely need to know how they are doing, but not necessarily what they are doing. Leave the details up to them, and provide all the resources they´ll need so that you won´t have to worry whether or not they´ll get the job done. Sometimes an intervention is necessary, but you can know when to intervene by watching their attitude and behavior. You don´t have to follow them around and watch their every move!
The most effective managers will provide coaching, guidance, mentoring, and resources. They´ll have a vision, and will articulate that vision to their employees. He/she will insure employees understand their roles, and the importance of those roles. He/she will create an environment that promotes collaboration and sharing of ideas. Then, they´ll get out of the way and let their employees do what they were hired to do.
The Antidote
The antidote to micro-managing is trust. Cultivate trust in yourself first. Do you trust that you are a good enough manager to let go of micro-managing? If not, work on your trust and confidence in yourself as a manager. If you don´t´ trust yourself, how can you expect them to trust you? Then, cultivate an environment of trust by being trustworthy. Do what you say you´ll do, and do it when you´ll say you´ll do it. Help them to trust themselves as well by allowing failure to occur naturally, and encouraging them to move past the failures on their own (or with guidance, not by doing it for them).
5. Leaving out the details
This is closely aligned with item number 1 – Blessed Ignorance. However, these are the managers who are in constant communication with employees, but happen to leave out certain details. For example, they´ll meet with an employee to discuss all the goals and objectives of a study that the employee is undertaking. Once they become clear on the goals and objectives, the employee is sent off to complete the project.
The employee has worked long and hard on the report, and returns to the boss with a 60-page, spiral-bound gem. The boss looks it over, and says, “this is all wrong. It will never work. You´ll need to revisit this and correct these errors because you´ve made incorrect assumptions.”
What happened? The boss left out some important details, assuming that the employee would figure it out on her own. After all, the goals and objectives were clear, right? Managers will leave out the details because they already have the specifications of the end product in their heads. They know what that report is supposed to contain, and if it doesn´t contain the specific details they´ve identified, then it must be in error. They´re not sharing the details of the product they are expecting.
Managers who understand this don´t necessarily have to share every little piece of information with their employees. But, what they ideally will share will be their expectations and assumptions. They´ll share the details of what they think the end result of the study or project will be.
Better yet, and here´s the real kick in the pants, these managers who understand motivation will let go of their preconceived ideas of what the ultimate solution will be. They´ll provide the resources and information their employee needs to come up with a very good solution, and be open to the possibility that they may have an even better idea than the manager. Fancy that! It´s a tough one for all the managers who know better than their employees, but if they can manage to provide the details the employee needs, then step out of the way, they might see an even better solution than what they´d come up with.
The Antidote
The antidote to leaving out the details is faith. Faith is something that is built over time through experience. You develop faith in your own ability to think through a situation sufficiently, communicate it to your employees, and then to allow them to proceed. You develop the faith that they just might come up with a better solution by allowing them to do just that, and experiencing the results.
6. Not following through
Do you play any sports? If you´ve played tennis, basketball, baseball, or even golf, you´ll understand the importance of follow through. Say you want to toss a ball from the pitcher´s mound to home plate, but you stop the movement of your arm the moment you release the ball. The ball will never reach home plate, and will plop down only a few feet from where you´re standing.
The same applies to follow through in business. If you tell an employee you´re going to do something, you´d better follow through with what you´ve said you´ll do. Don´t and you´ll lose their trust in what you say. Don´t follow through consistently, and you should expect the same kind of behavior from them. Follow through isn´t that difficult, but it sure seems to be because it is becoming more rampant. I see it again and again because people have too much to do and not enough time (a great excuse for not following through). Rather than admit that they´ll have to delay certain items, they´ll wait until the last minute to apologize, thinking the apology will make it all OK. It doesn´t.
The challenge occurs because of committing to dates that are entirely unreasonable. We all do it, and are left apologizing for missing the deadline or doing less of a job than we´d like. As a manager, it is even more important that your commitments to your employees be followed through to completion, and on time. It is far better to admit early on that you didn´t calculate the timeframe correctly and to set a new schedule than it is to put your employee off. In fact, many managers consider their commitments to employees to be a lower priority than commitments to their own managers. This is a mistake, because they are of equal importance and must be handled as such.
The Antidote
The antidote to not following through is integrity. Integrity is also defined as wholeness, and is highly applicable to this situation. By being in integrity – with your words, actions, and behaviors, you send a strong signal to your employees. They, too, will act with higher levels of integrity.
7. Being well-meaning
This is a tough one. We want our managers and supervisors to be well-meaning; that is, to care for and be concerned about their staff. Unfortunately this can at times backfire, especially when a well-meaning manager steps into a difficult situation. For example, an organization has been beset with multiple lay-offs, downsizing, restructuring, and one of a number of resolutions to rectify problems with the bottom line.
The old manager is dismissed and replaced by a very successful, and well-intentioned person who´s got a lot of ideas on how to turn things around. He´s all pumped up and raring to go with new initiatives, incentives, team building exercises, and the like. So, he naturally gets going as soon as possible.
In the mean time, the employees are still scared, worried, and frustrated (or angry) as all get out, and the last thing they´re ready to do is trust some wing nut who comes storming in with ideas on how to “fix” them. They don´t need fixing, and as far as they´re concerned, it´s not them who´s broken – it´s that stupid management team who can´t seem to figure out how to run a business.
Get the point?
It doesn´t matter how well-meaning or well-intentioned you are as a manager. If you don´t build rapport and trust with the employees, all your good efforts will be wasted, and may even cause further damage to the morale of the employees. It might behoove you to take a few steps back and find out what they actually want before you come in with your solutions that worked like a charm in your last business. This isn´t your last business, and it may actually require a little imagination on your part. Which brings me to the antidote.
The Antidote
The antidote for being well-meaning is curiosity. Get curious about what people want and need before you offer your well-intentioned solutions. It may be that you´re headed in exactly the opposite direction of where you want to go. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it can save a business. Ask questions. Probe. Explore options and alternatives. Then, go with your gut, with what you know based on information and experience what will work. It still might fail, but you´ll know you´ve done all you could.
8. One-upping
I´m a very competitive person, so I know this particular trait well. Your friend tells a story about hiking to the top of an 8,000 foot mountain. You talk about paragliding off that same mountain. She says she did the last 1,000 feet with swollen ankles, and you describe how you had a broken leg.
It´s called one-upping. It happens all the time in business, and it can be disastrous to employee morale. The employee comes in with the solution to a problem, and the boss is excited. He listens intently, and profusely thanks the employee for his hard work and dedication. He compliments the employee for such a great solution, and encourages the employee to do more of the same on the next project.
Good so far, right?
That´s when the one-upping steps in, and like the well-meaning manager above, it can cause serious, but unconscious repercussions. The manager sees his suggestions as a form of brainstorming, and the employee sees it as one-upping. Not content with the employee´s solution, he´ll say something like, “That´s wonderful. I love it. And you know what might make it even better…” While this sounds like a really good idea, it can do quite a bit to undermine and de-motivate employees. What you´re saying is that they might have some good ideas, but their ideas are never good enough, and yours are better.
As an alternative, how about allowing them to begin implementing their ideas. As they progress, you can coach them to seek out even better methods, approaches, or processes that will improve what they´d come up with originally. Coaching is a far better approach for a manager than outright suggestions or even brainstorming, although both of these are useful within the scope of coaching. Ideally, you want to coach your employees to anticipate obstacles, think about contingencies, and evaluate alternative approaches that would be an improvement. In the end you´ll have better ideas, and a much stronger staff who can make your job as manager much easier.
The Antidote
The antidote to one-upping is cultivating a strong self-image. I know this sounds strange, but managers who have a very strong self image do not have a need to have a better idea than their employees. They´re OK with coaching their employees because they have nothing to prove. They don´t need to show how much they know, or demonstrate their wisdom. The best thing you can do for yourself and your staff is to do what you can to build a very strong self-image for yourself.
9. Justifiable anger
Anger is a normal, healthy, and reasonable response to situations in which you or someone close to you has been harmed. The harm can come in the form of a physical action, comments, or even with body language or looks. Something occurs that causes emotional or physical pain, and one will quite naturally respond with feelings of surprise, possibly denial, and then anger.
It´s natural to feel angry from time to time, even as a manager. However, when anger is allowed to be examined and felt within the context of what one is wanting, its life is relatively short. What unfortunately happens all too often is that the anger becomes justifiable anger. We tell the story over and over, embellishing and summarizing all the many reasons we are justified in feeling angry. It builds and builds, and by the time we´re ready to confront the source of the anger (your employee), there is absolutely no room for resolution or solution.
Part of the solution lies in open and honest communication as soon as possible after the incident. Even then, it is in the best interest of the manager to come to terms with his or her feelings of anger before confronting the employee. This is accomplished by carefully evaluating the situation in terms of what happened, why did it happen, and most importantly, clarifying to yourself the final outcome you´re seeking that will be best for both the company and the individuals involved. Once you start looking in the direction of what you really want to be happening (product gets delivered on schedule, client is 100% satisfied), the anger naturally fades. The more you focus on justifying your anger, coming up with all the reasons you´re anger is within reason, the less likely you´ll be able to resolve the situation to anyone´s satisfaction.
The Antidote
The antidote to justifiable anger is gratitude. No, it´s not forgiveness, and it´s not suppression of or ignoring the anger. Look for everything for which you are grateful in the situation, the people involved, and your business. Within the realm of gratitude lies forgiveness, and within forgiveness lies possibilities for solutions that you can only dream about now. Gratitude is perhaps the most powerful force in the universe to combat negative emotions and to instill a strong motivation in everyone.
10. Assuming
You know the old phrase, “to assume is to make an ass out of ´u´ and me”? Our challenge today is to hold off on assumptions, yet still get as much done with as few resources as we can. As a manager, you need to understand the difference between an assumption and an expectation.
An assumption is to “take for granted”, while an expectation is “something expected, or the eager anticipation” of something. Notice the difference? You can (and should) have expectations that your employees will be trustworthy, honest, diligent, and will do exceedingly good jobs. On the other hand, it is not helpful to assume (take for granted) they will have all these qualities. To expect is to await with eager anticipation. There is an energy of excitement and joy that comes with an expectation, while an assumption only comes with disappointment when the assumed outcome does not arrive.
Assumptions show up as disappointment. The employee didn´t do as good a job as you had hoped, so you´re disappointed and express that disappointment. Nowhere along the path did you express any expectation that they´d do a great job, because you assumed it. If you expect a great job, you´ll be more likely to express your expectation (“I know that you will do an outstanding job on this report”), and will be excited to receive their results. Then, if the outcome isn´t up to your expectations, you can coach the employee to set their own goals that will meet or even exceed your expectations.
Having a high expectation of an employee helps them to grow into that expectation, while making assumptions does nothing but create disappointment and resentment.
The Antidote
The antidote for assuming is to expect the best. Expect the best of yourself, and expect the best of your employees. Whatever you most expect is what you will get, so be careful with what you expect. Expect the worse and that´s what you´ll probably get. Expect the best, and you stand a greater chance of getting exactly the best.
Summary
Cultivating and maintaining a high level of motivation in employees requires more than implementing a few new procedures or incentive plans from the Human Resources department. It requires managers and leaders to be different, and to cultivate in themselves the qualities they want in their employees. In summary, the 10 antidotes, or ways of being that managers can adopt in order to promote high morale in their employees are:
1. Compassion for self and others.
2. Honesty with oneself.
3. Focusing on the goal, not the small stuff.
4. Cultivating trust first in oneself, then in others.
5. Faith in oneself and others through experience.
6. Displaying a high degree of Integrity.
7. Being curious – about the situation, about yourself, and about others.
8. Cultivating a strong self-image.
9. Gratitude for all that is in your life today.
10. Expecting the best of yourself and others.
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