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Letter from the Editor
Quick quiz: What are the two most overheard buzz-phrases in the training and HR fields today?
Talent management and employee engagement.
Talent management – the idea that hiring the right people, developing them in planful ways that benefit them AND the organization, and grooming high potential employees for leadership positions – seems both novel and commonsense at the same time. Novel in that many organizations DON’T do this (or have even considered it). And commonsense in that it seems so glaringly obvious that that’s what we need to do.
Employee engagement is like that as well. Recently Towers and
Perrin reported on the growing DISengagement of employees and suggested that successful organizations were those who strategically and systematically engaged employees. Again: WOW! and DUH!
The industry seems to be awakening to the importance of planning for the “care and feeding” of an organization’s most valuable (and highest cost) resource – its people. But what I’m fearful of is that as an industry we won’t recognize HOW to manage talent and HOW to engage employees.
The problem – I believe – lies in the articulation of the problem. To illustrate, let me use a financial example. After much auditing and rechecking, a company finds that its operating costs are double those of the industry average. A proclamation is made by leaders throughout the company to “cut waste” and “trim costs.” Everyone – managers, employees, EVERYONE – agrees that operating costs are too high. Suggestion boxes are strategically positioned and posters are posted. And little happens.
Cost cutting – truly effective cost cutting that results in sustained improvements over time – happens at the individual level; people cut costs one dollar at a time, one paperclip at a time. Reducing waste becomes an individual habit – and eventually, an organizational culture. Leading the charge are the front-line and mid-level managers.
In the same way, engaging and developing employees happens one employee at a time by frontline and mid-level managers. And engaging and developing employees ISN’T simply about being nice! Frontline and mid-level managers need to be able think a) strategically to support their team or department goals and b) individually to address the unique motivational drivers of each team member.
How do effective managers engage employees?
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Provide me – the worker – the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to a powerful “cause”.
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Recognize and reward my talents and efforts in a fair, equitable, and transparent way; I want to know that my contributions matter.
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Help me help the organization and myself. Provide me with the direction, tools, training, and opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways.
 Engaging employees does not happen by proclamation; it happens one employee at a time. And it happens through engaged, competent managers. There is no greater force in the battle for talent development and employee engagement than talented managers who know how to engage and develop their greatest resource – their staff.
If you manage employees, the burden of talent development and employee engagement lies with you. You don’t need to wait for corporate direction on this one. In my mind, it’s the reason you exist. And it’s the best, hardest job you’ll ever have.
Terry
Three Theories of Motivation
Towers and Perrin reported what we all know – engaged employees contribute more discretionary effort than non-engaged employees. In fact, the only thing more harmful to the health of an organization than people who quit and leave are those who quit and stay.
There are – last time I checked – literally hundreds of different theories of motivation. Some are complicated; some are interesting but impractical. I’ve selected three to share with you that I’ve found to work together well and that are practical.
Herzberg’s Hygiene-Motivation Theory
Frederick Herzberg believed that we all have basic needs (hygiene needs) that must be met or we will become dissatisfied. Meeting these needs does not make us satisfied, we simply aren’t DISsatisfied. These hygiene needs (he could have picked a better name!) include:
Herzberg identified satisfiers – things that made people feel good about their work. These motivators included:
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Achievement
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Recognition
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Work itself
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Responsibility
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Advancement
As mangers, we need to ensure that hygiene issues are resolved and then address the motivators. As a side note, recognize that the motivators don’t involve extra money. Herzberg has shown that money (salary) over time is NOT a motivator. Money when provided as part of a recognition program or incentive program is likely NOT the primary motivator!
 McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory
David McClelland theorized that we each have different motivators – things that compel us to work harder. He categorized motivation into three buckets:
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Need for Affiliation – To be with people
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Need for Power – To be in charge (or seen as in charge)
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Need for Achievement – To have accomplished something
Appealing to a person’s primary motivation need, McClelland believes, is key to engaging the employee. As managers, we need to identify what motivates our employees and use that knowledge to tailor our approach to motivating our employees.
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
Victor Vroom (besides having a cool name) looked internally at motivation and asked, “If appropriate incentives are provided, why do some people strive and others don’t?” His conclusion formed the basis for his Expectancy Theory which consists of three parts:
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Expectancy: Will my discretionary effort have the result I intend? (Sales: If I make more calls will I get more appointments?)
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Instrumentality: Will the results get me “the reward” I expect? (Sales: Will more appointments make me more $$?)
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Valence: Is “the reward” meaningful to me? (Sales: Do I want the $$ and the things $$ will get me: new boat, prestige, etc.?)
Vroom illustrates why most Employee-of-the-Month programs don’t work. Everyone knows that the employee of the month is determined by who HASN’T yet been selected. Everyone knows that their discretionary effort (expectancy) will not make any difference. (Maybe this month there are FIVE employees-of-the-month!) Additionally, the reward
is typically not meaningful to me (valence).
As managers, we need to tie effort to reward in a clear and objective way so that effort leads to results leads to rewards. And we must ensure that those rewards are meaningful. (McClelland can help us determine what meaningful is!)
Summary
Ensure that your people are paid sufficiently and that arcane policies aren’t blocking discretionary performance; THEN use recognition, increased responsibility, and other techniques to motivate discretionary performance (Herzberg). Determine what motivates each of your employees (McClelland). And make sure that rewards are not capricious or benevolent; give employees a chance to apply effort to achieve results and “win” a reward that is meaningful to them.
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
 As you know, Marshall Goldsmith has written a best-seller,
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, which has been featured here and is a fantastic book on leadership coaching.
The book is currently ranked as the #5 best selling business book on Amazon.com for 2007 and is #1 in the ‘leading people’ field. It has also been ranked as #22 best seller for ALL books published this year.
Marshall’s book has just been nominated in Amazon’s vote for both “Best Book of the Year” (there are 25 nominees) and “Best Business Book of the Year” (10 nominees). Although Harry Potter is going to be tough to beat for “Book of the Year”, Marshall may have a shot at “Best Business Book of the Year”.
With YOUR help! If you have a second, please paste the links below to vote for
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.
Vote in the Best Books of 2007 category:
http://www.amazon.com/...
Vote in the Best Books of 2007, Business & Investing category:
http://www.amazon.com/...
Entelechy Customizes High Performance Management
Editor’s Note: We are often asked to differentiate Entelechy from other training companies such as AchieveGlobal, DDI, Center for Creative Leadership, Huthwaithe, Franklin-Covey and others. While Entelechy is similar to the above companies in that we end up with a training program and performance consulting services, there are two primary – and we believe critical – differences. Entelechy believes that most sales, management, or customer service models that other companies tout as “advanced” and “unique” are, in fact surprisingly similar. (In our former roles as training directors, we saw more than our fair share of slick sales pitches selling virtually the same concept.) Second, Entelechy believes that effective training is built around YOUR needs (not OUR flashy sales, management, or customer service model) and YOUR goals. In fact, at the end of our customization, we authorize you to use the training – even modify the training – to meet your changing needs. (Oh, and we don’t charge you for the privilege to use or modify the training!)
Over the next several issues of The Key, we’ll feature examples of the work we’ve done to create training that is more than a gimmick; training that creates lasting change for companies and individuals.
A multinational manufacturing company engaged Entelechy to provide management training for their plant managers as part of an overall performance management initiative. Entelechy’s charter was to
develop coaching training that would equip supervisors, team leaders, managers, and directors with the tools they needed to engage and develop their employees.
As with all customized projects, Entelechy conducted an initial performance/needs assessment. We flew out to the main plant in Missouri to interview the plant manager, the HR director, and the training supervisor. We also requested meetings with EVERYONE who managed and supervised employees; we know that buy-in and opportunity for input into the training these managers will eventually attend often is THE KEY to a successful training initiative. While the meetings were short (30 minutes), they spanned a 24-hour period to ensure that we met with all three shifts. The primary reason for the meetings was to explain what we were doing and to answer any questions. We also took the opportunity to do a short assessment, asking each attendee to consider the best and worst managers they ever worked for and to then describe what made them best or worst. The information we gathered confirmed the information we collected in focus groups and interviews, ensuring that the resulting training is focused and relevant.
We’re currently developing the training and have made adjustments to our coaching and problem solving models to make sure they work in this unique environment. Additionally, the client had introduced models that she wanted reinforced in the management training we’re developing.
For more information on how Entelechy can customize a management training program for YOUR company, contact Terry at
ttraut@unlockit.com.
Entelechy Found in Interesting Places
Entelechy is often found in the most interesting places. The other day I was interviewed by Pizza Today, a magazine representing the pizza restaurant industry. My opinion was solicited because of Entelechy’s
High Performance Customer Service program and experience in helping companies achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. The request – in my mind – speaks to the universality of the topics/skills Entelechy covers AND to the unique application of those skills to each person’s industry or business.
Recently my interview with Dr. Henry Mintzberg was published in
Talent Management. The interview, entitled “Why Don’t More Managers Coach and Develop Their People?” is found at:
http://www.talentmgt.com/.../471/index.php
The Key Archives
Of course, many of our articles are found first in The Key. Subscribe to our free newsletter at:
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And Now, Something Completely Different
 #1: Make an Elf of Yourself!
It’s the holiday season, so go ahead, make an elf of yourself. Sponsored by OfficeMax, this is cute and rates as this season’s #1 timewaster:
http://elfyourself.com/
#2: How Smart Is Your Right Foot?
This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your right foot, but, you can’t. It’s preprogrammed in your brain!
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WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
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Now, draw the number six in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.
I told you so!!! And there’s nothing you can do about it! You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done, you are going to try it again, if you’ve not already done so.
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Terence Traut, President of Entelechy "unlocking potential"
ttraut@unlockit.com
phone: 603-424-1237
fax: 603-424-6361
http://www.unlockit.com
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