Sep 26 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:29 — 3.2MB)
Leadership Development: Seven Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Counseling Of all the tasks leaders perform, one of the most difficult is counseling. I know it always has been for me. Sure, I enjoy talking with other people, sharing stories and sometimes solving all the world’s problems. However, I don’t enjoy telling someone that …
Sep 05 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:37 — 3.3MB)
What Does Leadership have to do with Customer Service? Have you ever walked out of a business saying to yourself, “Their customer service sure isn’t very good?” What was it about that service that caught your attention in that negative way? Did you perceive a lack of concern for your needs or perhaps …
Aug 22 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:57 — 3.6MB)
There is no shortage of leadership experts. Peruse a list of what various coaches, consultants and trainers offer and you’ll find many different subjects, but they all seem to have something like “and leadership” somewhere in the mix. Browse the shelves in your library or favorite bookstore for books on leadership and you’ll …
Aug 15 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:41 — 3.4MB)
I recently heard some advice that I thought was amazingly simple; before hiring a coach, consultant, or speaker on the subject of leadership, check to see if he or she actually has any leadership experience. Simple, yet often ignored! Lest you think this is just a rant on my part, (okay, maybe a …
Jun 29 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:09 — 3.8MB)
“I really thought he would work out. He’s a nice guy, but he just doesn’t seem to be the kind of leader we were looking for. Now what do I do?”
When selecting new leaders or promoting current leaders, most executives will give the decision careful consideration, using a combination of experience, intuition, and perhaps evaluation tools prescribed by the company. The problem is, we’re all human and what may have seemed like a good fit initially, will not necessarily work out in the long run. What’s a leader to do?
May 04 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:58 — 3.6MB)
“These experts who say that pay is not a motivator don’t know what they’re talking about. If you don’t pay people enough, they will not be motivated to work hard. In fact they may be motivated to leave.”
There are many leaders in the world who believe pay and benefits are all that’s needed to motivate workers to work harder and produce more. Let’s look at that argument.
Humans have what Abraham Maslow called a survival need. To meet that need, they must receive sufficient compensation to provide food and shelter for them and their families. If they aren’t paid enough to meet this need, then the statement above will probably be correct. It will be difficult for them to realize any other motivation than to meet their survival needs. So, if you’re paying your employees a pittance, don’t expect them to move much beyond their motivation to survive.
Apr 27 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:59 — 3.6MB)
Frederick Herzberg’s (1923 – 2000) study of human behavior was driven by his experience as a member of the liberating force which arrived at Dachau concentration camp in 1945. He wanted to understand why people would do such things. His study led to development of the Motivation-Hygiene theory. In presenting this theory, Herzberg said two factors acted on workers; motivational factors and hygiene factors. Hygiene factors are things that can cause dissatisfaction, but whose removal does not cause satisfaction or motivation. Motivational factors on the other hand, do result in better performance and production. It’s important to understand the distinction between dissatisfaction and satisfaction. Herzberg said that hygiene factors could cause dissatisfaction, and fixing a hygiene factor could remove dissatisfaction, but real satisfaction could only come from actual motivational factors. What is surprising to some is the definition of motivational factors versus hygiene factors.
Apr 20 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:59 — 3.6MB)
“How do I motivate my people?” “I need to find ways to motivate the workers.”
These are common laments among leaders stemming from the idea that one person can motivate another. Is that true? Can one person motivate another? Do employees need external motivation or is motivation a force internal to the individual? To answer these questions, we need to examine the true nature of motivation and why people actually feel motivated.
Apr 13 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:22 — 3.1MB)
John was a quiet associate. His managers really liked him because he could tell a customer where any item was in the store. When a recent store-wide reset was completed, he seemed to instinctively know all the new locations, even more amazing considering the store had a large inventory of small products. Unfortunately, John’s managers saw his quiet demeanor as a lack of motivation, completely missing his need to be self-actualized. When opportunities to move to new positions within the store arose, he was usually not seriously considered. John works for another company now, lured away by the prospect of continuously learning new parts of the business.
Apr 06 2011
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:01 — 3.7MB)
Where do you belong? Are you part of a group, a team, a church, a social club, a professional organization? There’s been a lot of discussion lately about how some generational groups aren’t team players and want to work individually. Yet, these same people have families, and friends. Maybe they like to go to sports events or concerts with the same small group. Psychologist Abraham Maslow identified belonging as a basic human need on his Hierarchy of Needs.
