Masonry Magazine November 2001 Page. 28
MOTIVATING/continued
Employers are in the process of sorting things out—emotions, feelings, priorities and other issues. This is the time for you to shine. Help your employees by sharing your successes, and failures. Show them the path to improvement and success. Not only will it make you personally feel good, it will help their productivity. If you help them so well that they want to start their own business, become their partner. I watched Bruce Scott, owner of a burglar alarm company build his network using this method. I also watched him net a fortune for him and his partners when the business was sold.
Employees That Need a Cheerleader:
Cheerleading, at all times, and especially now is a crucial element in successful leadership. Periodically, everybody needs to be told how valuable he or she is to an organization. Some need this reinforcement more often than others. In turbulent times it is so important to show your pride in your employees. Perhaps now is a good time to push their creativity buttons and cultivate their star power. Give your employees the opportunity and tools to amaze you. Many just need a bit of direction and a pat on the back and they're off making things happen. And, when they do amaze you, acknowledge and reward their accomplishments.
Employees That Need To Be Left Alone:
While I realize that it might be difficult to understand that some people need to be left alone to deal with issues in their own way without assistance or guidance, it is true that some do better this way. Their behavior might manifest as something that resembles work avoidance or hide and seek behavior. Be sensitive to their issues, and if you must involve yourself, this is the time to use the carrot rather than the stick. I believe it essential to repeat that the important key in dealing with your employees and helping them through, and keeping them motivated during these turbulent times is to focus on what THEY need, and how THEY need it, rather than imposing YOUR cultural, generational and empirical experience on them. Stepping back and viewing a situation through a new window can, at times, be difficult for even the most caring of employers. Yet, it is what you have to do.