Plain Simple Management

Thoughts on keeping things simple

PSM #13: People and Motivation

PSM #13: People and motivation discusses the manager's role in the motivation of the individuals within an organization.

(download)

Motivation

  • Managers motivate no one
    • failed strategies
      • coercion and threats
      • ra ra speches and pep talks
      • affiliation
  • People motivate themselves
    • Timberlake
      • Why people do things
        • To love and be loved.
        • To feel worthwhile.
      • People work to meet their goals.
    • Manager's job
      • provide environment for people to meet their goals
      • Help people define their goals
      • Align people's goals with organization's goals
        • manager must ensure that both goals are met.
      • Or counsel the person to a place where the person can meet his/her goal.
      • Avoid driving a round peg in a square hole.
      • Letting someone go is typically for their benefit.
  • Why people fail?
    • Unwilling
      • Goals are not consistent with the organization
    • Unable
      • Training, reassignment.

PSM #12: People

PSM #12: People starts a discussion of the people side of management. Topics for this podcast include discussion of a couple of alternative views to people management, discusses people within the organization, and the managers role in the organization.

(download)

Podcast notes for PSM 12: People follows.

PSM People

  • A couple of paradygm shifts
    • People put themselves first, their families second, and their job third.
    • People do not come to work to fail, no they come to succeed.
  • Organizations
    • People and the most valuable asset.
    • People are what gets the job done.
    • Teams are the most effective organization
      • self-directed
      • self-organizing
      • internally motivated
      • self policing
      • synergistic
      • usually more correct
        • I don't want 10 people that replicate me
        • teams are self defining
      • May visit team construction later
  • Management role in an organization: empowerment
    • The pyramid is ineffective
    • The upside down pyramid
      • Manager at bttom, supporting
      • Manager facilitates
      • Manager removes obstacles
      • Manager guides
      • Manager provides resources