|
|
First Step Is Releasing People to the Power Of-
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Ben Simonton
Posted on: Tuesday, 23rd January 2007, 7:28 AM.
their own motivations from the bondage of following. After it becomes obvious to a few of the workforce that they are the most important people in the company and that all managers are there just to support them, not to order them around, not to motivate them but to allow them to pursue their own motivations, the innovation starts. Slowly but surely that becomes like a snowball rolling downhill, getting bigger as it rolls (more people participate) and going faster (more innovation).~95% of all people are "followers" to a greater or lesser extent. A "follower" is a person who attempts to conform to what is expected by discerning the workplace value standards and using them to do their work. A tremendous amount of brainpower is expended every day by a person in order to be a "follower". Since the brain is the source of all creativity, innovation, productivity, motivation and commitment, followers are and not highly productive. In addition, since they are not in control of their lives (someone else always is, if not the boss then the weather) they are not highly motivated since all useful motivation comes from within.~5% are "non-followers" who perform their work in accordance with their own value standards. These people are in total control of their own lives. As such, they are self-motivated self-starters who are highly motivated. Thus, "non-followers" apply 100% of their brainpower and therefore all of their creativity, innovation, productivity, motivation and commitment to their work. As such, they are far, far more productive than followers. The above situation is a fact of life dictated by an authoritarian society which attempts to tell us all from birth what to do and never allows or encourages us to become ourselves. The silver lining in this cloud for bosses is that the vast majority of "followers" can be converted to being "non-followers" and once there they will never change back no matter the forces involved.The process of unleashing people from the bondage of following is pretty much reflected in the 10 questions I posed at the start of this thread. Group meetings for the purpose of listening to and answering people's complaints, suggestions and questions are the most effective mechanisms for achieving this change because everyone can learn the correct process from the boss, workers, supervisors and managers. A complaint arises, the big boss who knows how to do this extracts as much info from the complainant as possible, then gets additional info from other attendees, followed by getting solutions from the group. Boss does not provide answers, but comes back to the next meeting (withing a week) with a proposal of how to proceed. Boss gets comments and buy in from group members without which boss does nothing. If answering a question, no hipshooting. If boss does not know a very high quality answer, boss goes away and finds it coming back at the next meeting with this high quality answer and asks if that satisfies the questioner and the rest of the group. This is an iterative process. Sub-groups may be formed as necessary to take on more complex issues and to bring the issue to completion. A basic rule for foremen and managers is promulgated such that they are not allowed to give orders to their subordinates. They can tell them what to do but not how to do it. If the person does not know how, training is conducted. This is called the "anti-robot rule". Eventually, after everyone pretty well understands group meetings, subordinate bosses are required to conduct regular meetings with their people for the same purposes. These meetings are checked by more senior managers to ensure quality. I left out that after demonstrating the process, the big boss starts training subordinates in how to conduct group meetings including how to handle detractors like union stewards trying to make a name or show up management. I have a complete script for this as well as every other aspect of turning "followers" into "non-followers".As this process procedes, "non-followers" learn that they are the workplace heroes, the model of what everyone should be. They will be the ones with the most to add and will have the best solutions so they will stand out from the others from the start. This is something which is little by little explained to the group.The big boss is the protector of value standards and must see to it that everyone's right to participate is protected and that no one is allowed to be an obstacle to progress. Since meetings specifically address complaints and the troops at the bottom are rarely held back by politics, managers and groups who aren't buying in or aren't cooperating will be exposed very quickly. If the boss takes actions to remove obstacles and is quick to admit them and openly discuss them, they can be wiped away as a matter of course.The key to all of the above is forthrightness, the willingness by the big boss to provide all info to the troops about anything, to hide nothing and to admit to error and apologize quickly. Nothing can be held back from the troops and if they disrespect something or object to something, that something is either totally wrong or has been misreprented. The troops are the best judges of whether something is right or not. The boss' function is to make things right and the minimum standard is what is acceptable to the workforce.What qualifies as a good idea? If the proponents can justify it reasonably, then try it. If the money is not available, don't. But err on the side of supporting what the troops want to do. Sometimes the best things result from something that appeared most questionable. Once you get a fair number of highly motivated people who love to come to work, they are solving so many problems that more time can be assigned to doing more better. A huge difference is apparent once about 20% have made the transition, but the real gains come after 80% change.Most innovations, but a fair percentage are breakthroughs. With so many people using 100% of their brainpower on the work as compared to so few when you start, the innovation rate is literally amazing to all. Innovation is the key to increased productivity although all innovations do not increase productivity.Hope that this explains more, S. Jefferson. It is not a small, simple issue to cover. Highly motivated people leap over tall buildings in a single bound while poorly motivated ones stumble on curbs. Our problem as a society is that almost no one has ever seen a large group of highly motivated people.Best regards, Ben
Author "Leading People to be Higly Motivated and Committed"
http://www.bensimonton.com
Message Thread:  | | Thanks, Mike by Ben Simonton on Wednesday, 24th January 2007 |
Return To Discussion ForumPost A New MessageRead the Forum Guide to Good Etiquette
|
|
|
