Page 42 - How to Motivate Every Employee

Help employees accept responsibility for motivation: When employ-
ees rely on themselves to stay motivated, rather than on others,
they’re accepting self-responsibility. And when they accept responsi-
bility for themselves, they understand that they also have responsibil-
ity for their success. To encourage self-responsibility for motivation,
give employees carte blanche responsibility for achieving a specific
task or project to make it their own, and give the full authority to do
it their way. This will unleash tremendous energy and motivation
among your people. Remember, one of the greatest de-motivators is
to assign responsibility to someone and then turn around and tell
them how to do the job. Top managers won’t make this mistake.
Let the people take the power: Smart managers know the impor-
tance of releasing the power within each employee so that he or she
can do their best work. When your people take the power, you will be
giving them the authority and responsibility to do their jobs efficient-
ly and effectively, on their own. “People have the power” has long
been the credo at the famous jeans maker, Levi Strauss & Co., and
has helped sustain the company through the fringed ’60s and bell-
bottomed ’70s, to the total reinvention of the jeans culture at the
turn of the century.
Redefine your role as manager: To do this, start by enlarging every
employees’ circle of influence. Then increase signature authority
whenever possible. Don’t let employees feel restricted by their titles
or positions. Everyone’s a leader. Define jobs more broadly, leaving
room for creativity and autonomy. Eliminate cumbersome employee
rules and policies. And always support good judgment and common
sense. Remember Nordstrom’s employee handbook, which simply
states: Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no
additional rules.

“If you want someone to do a good job, give them a
good job to do.”
—Frederick Herzberg, Management Theorist

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