Page 180 - Executive Warfare

EXECUTIVE W ARF ARE

in order to do the one thing that really does motivate talented people—
give them what they want and need.

LOYALTY IS ABOUT GRATITUDE, NOT PATRIOTISM
You can get people to work very, very hard because they are proud of
your organization or because they want your organization’s prestigious
name on their résumé. But relying on a blind salute to the logo to
motivate people will get you just about as far as relying on their love
for you.
In my experience, you build loyalty by helping each member of your
team, individually, get where they want to go.
For example, say you have an
employee who is 62 and thinking of
TRY TO REMEMBER taking his pension and leaving you.
THAT YOUR OFFICE However, you really need his fealty and
IS NOT “THE JERRY his work for another two years. It is very
SPRINGER SHOW.” helpful to know that what he really
DO EVERYTHING wants is to buy an 80-foot boat and
POSSIBLE TO move to Florida in his retirement. He’s
DISCOURAGE YOUR been assembling the pieces, but he’s
EMPLOYEES FROM just short of being able to do that. He
POURING THEIR doesn’t want the 40-foot boat; he wants
HEARTS OUT TO the 80-foot boat.
YOU. YOU CANNOT Take the trouble to learn something
AFFORD TO HEAR like that, and you can say, “Look Joe,
THE DETAILS. stay, and I guarantee that you’ll be able
to buy that 80-foot boat. I’ll bonus you,
or option you, or enhance your pension,
whatever it takes so that you’ll never
have to think about it. But I need two more years.”And you will probably
get them.

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