A Few Thoughts on Winter...

By Jim Rohn, The Seasons of Life

"Let winter find you planning for the arrival of spring, not contemplating the errors of commission and omission of last year.  Let winter find you with a joyful countenance and a happy heart... with a good word for all those around you; with confidence in the future, not apprehension; and finally, with gratitude for your achievements, adversities, and uncertainties of life, for each is a form of blessing which removes all limitations from the future possibilities of life.

Winter is a time for examining, pondering, and introspection.  It is a time for re-evaluating both purpose and procedure - for rediscovering an often misplace sense of purpose.  It is a time for finding new ways for solving old dilemmas, and for devising unique plans for contributing to others, less fortunate than ourselves.  It is a time for understanding and controlling anger, that frequent human emotion which causes us to pass judgment without fair deliberation.  It is a time to analyze our fairness and to overcome our tendency to hastily spew forth condemnation without full investigation, for such is the height of ignorance.

Winter is a time for being sincere with ourselves, about ourselves, when the tendency is to fool ourselves.  It is a time for developing skills that allow us to get along with imperfect people, for even a fool can get along with perfect people.  It is also a time for becoming wise enough to know what to say.  The wisdom that comes with the careful use of winter teaches us also that evolution is merely revolution at a slower pace, and that constant gradual change is the order of the universe.  Only those worthy human attributes of honesty, loyalty, love, and trust in God and in our fellow man are meant to remain constant.  Winter is a time for being grateful for our achievements, or for having endured our lack of achievement."

What Really Motivates People to Perform? It's not What you Think...

I was reminded in the past few weeks (please don't ask me to recall where!) about the three motivators that move people to give their best effort.  Because so much of what I deal with day-to-day revolves around inspiring groups of people to work together and achieve great things, these motivators are constantly at play.  Most business owners and managers struggle to get their staff to perform at the highest level (or even a mediocre level), and leveraging motivating factors that really work can be powerful.

Autonomy
Although we're 'herd animals' at heart, people want to do their own thing.  Being micromanaged, forced to constantly answer to someone, or never given a moment's peace are nightmares for your average worker - this especially applies to Americans who are more independent than some other cultures.  Most managers and entrepreneurs are terrified of giving their employees too much autonomy.  While it is true that you have to provide clear boundaries, support, and occasionally intervention, it's been proven repeatedly that people perform better when they accept full ownership of a task and are allowed to make decisions and get the job done in their own unique way.  Autonomy is also a great motivator to access because there are benefits for the organization and management too!  By fostering personal responsibility in your staff you gain more time to focus on upper level tasks and business development without hovering over your team constantly.

Mastery
It really feels good to know that you are EXCELLENT at something - doesn't it?  We all love to feel accomplished and to be recognized for the things we do well.  Expert stature or mastery of a subject are fantastic motivators for your team.  Continuing education, new certifications and other programs can give companies a structured way to leverage mastery in the workplace.  Simple 'thank yous', surprise events and public recognition can also work wonders.  There are several reasons why this motivator is so effective:

1. Higher education typically equals higher pay.
2. Learning new skills keeps employees engaged in their work and prevents apathy.
3. Companies gain employees who are better at their job and who deliver for customers at a higher level.
4. Happy employees who feel that their job is a true specialty make fewer errors and stay longer.

Purpose
Everybody wants to feel that their life is making a difference.  We all would like to think that we are impacting the world and the people in it as we go about our daily business. Managers and corporations can tap into this innate human need for destiny to boost performance.  Be clear about your company's purpose and make conscious efforts to connect your staff with your mission statement.  Encourage volunteerism and community service.  Find ways for your company to engage in corporate philanthropy or holiday giving campaigns.  Make sure that each staff member (even the ones at the bottom) see how their job fits into the grand vision and makes a difference for customers.  All of these things will help your staff be more motivated and creative at work, which will equal higher profits and great innovations.

Lastly, I want to address the 800 pound gorilla in the room... money.  The single motivator that most businesses build into their HR plan is cash.  'Do X and you'll get a raise.'  'Achieve Y and you'll get a bonus.'  'Hit target Z and earn a higher commission rate.'  But it has been proven in studies that money motivators actually make people perform the worst!

Why?  Because money alone as a goal is very cold and shallow.  As much as we all WANT more money, we desire cash to improve our quality of life and feed our soul - not to sit in a vault.  As you consider the three motivators above, notice that each one will translate into more money naturally. 

For example... accepting personal responsibility for your work and getting tasks done independently will encourage you to be meticulous and will free your boss up to focus on the big picture, taking the whole organization forward. Getting better training, more professional designations and higher education will make you more marketable and improve your earning potential.  You will get raises due to merit and knowledge - not tenure or hitting a random goal one time. Feeling emotionally and spiritually connected to your work, and gaining personal satisfaction from your job, will improve performance every time.  All of a sudden you aren't just going to work - you are living your destiny, and that makes you a powerful force.

If you're in a supervisory position and you're tempted to offer people money to reach organizational objectives, I urge you to reconsider.  Find creative ways turn your attention away from money and use the three motivators that really work to take your team to the next level.

Clarity of Vision

Einstein once said “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Think about that statement for a moment and ask yourself, ‘Does this quote apply to the way I run my company?’

Most businesses that continually beat their head against a wall suffer from a profound lack of vision. Everyone engages in frenzied efforts to succeed (always working longer and trying harder), but because people don’t see the big picture or understand the true value they bring to customers, their quarterly profit and loss statements don’t reflect the intensity of their effort.

Here’s the reality… trying harder isn’t usually the solution to achieving more. In fact, it might be a big part of the problem. Let’s examine together the path to clarity of vision.

First and foremost, what is this Holy Grail we call vision? It’s pretty simple really, and boils down to a few primary considerations: Why are you in business? What is so great about what you do or make? What impact do you want your business to leave on the world?

Now you might be able to pop out some pat answers to those questions without really thinking about them, but vision is a critical component of your professional success and deserves more attention. In order to create truly visionary responses to those basic questions, you have to get outside of your comfort zone and slow down. Before you even begin to draft a vision statement, I suggest that you back off of your to-do list, quit trying harder, and pull some wise people around you to help bring an outside perspective into the conversation. Think beyond goals and money and tasks.

It’s very important when stepping into the role of the visionary to suspend disbelief and allow yourself to brainstorm outside the bounds of common sense. Vision isn’t mission! Let me repeat… Your vision isn’t an expanded version of your mission statement. Your mission statement should rightly be grounded in the present and directly related to the values and standards that will help you take action in the upcoming months and years, but your vision must be so much more.

Your vision is your enduring purpose; the fundamental reason for an organization’s existence beyond just making money. It is a perpetual guiding star on the horizon and does not change over time. For example, NASA’s vision is “advancing man’s capability to explore the heavens.” In essence, our vision is a mental picture of the future we wish to create through endless pursuit of an ideal. It is love, and passion, and the impetus to pursue that which we truly want most out of life through work.

On the other hand, a mission is a specific destination that is concrete and achievable. A good mission engages people – it reaches out and grabs them and makes them want to do something in the present moment. It should be tangible, energizing, highly focused and support the vision. To stick with our NASA example, a mission statement might establish a goal of “putting a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s”.
So, once you have stepped back from the insanity, and examined the beliefs and dreams behind your corporate vision, how does the simple vision statement you write help your business grow? Clarity = Power. If you don’t have a vision and a sense of destiny about your company, you won’t grow. Timing, recognizing unique opportunities, and the power to execute – these lie within you, not in the situation.

Your vision represents your desires, your passions, your dreams that burn hot in your mind… and thus your vision gives you all the intuitive information you need to find direction and make breakthroughs in performance. Your vision is your own internal ‘magnetic north’ that will enable you to make quantum leaps in your results.

Don’t wait! Define and live your vision today and you’ll begin to see power of purpose in action.