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THE president of an office supply compa- I ny was recently lamenting that his sales people were not operating to their potential. "Motivationally bankrupt," he said.

This is a very common complaint in any area of business. Often, it's the managers who are unconsciously demotivating their employees.

ILPeople want to succeed in their jobs. When they sign on. they're psyched to do well in the company. Even if they are experienced, they are new to you and new to your company. If you haven't made a conscious effort to shorv them the rvay you do business. they will do it their rvay and probably be less effective than either of you hoped. What happens next is they become unhappy-strike l. You're disappointed, which shows-strike 2. Then, you probably tell them what they're

By Sam Manfer

doing rvron_estrike 3.

Here are six tips to keep your staff motivated and producing. | "

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Tell your people rvhat you rvant and your method to get it. Nobody knorvs rvhat you think they should knorv. Believe this or Iive in frustration. Never assume they knorv because of experience. intelligence or rvhatever. Make your desires perfectly clear. Also. -eet over any concern that it rvould be insultin,e to them. or unnecessary.

You rvill have to take the initiative because your employees are probably not _eoing to ask for your expectation or horv you rvant them to rvork. They foolishlv think this

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(Continued from page 50) would make them look badly to you. Therefore, pull each aside quarterly and spell it out.

If your employee has a different approach, work it out together. Otherwise, even if successful, you will always be suspect, waiting for the fall, and your anxiety will come through. This causes self doubt, which leads to failures and demotivation.

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Employees-especially when new or entering a new role-are like sponges trying to learn what to do. You can fill that sponge with good liquid or let them fill it with whatever they pick up. Even your best people are sponges, but they are looking for new liquid to get a competitive edge.

Unless a person has learned how to sell (or do) your stuff, how can you expect them to know how? I hear all the time, "They are experienced." I always retort that I am an experienced golfer, but I am still a l7 handicap.

Experience doesn't mean they know how to do it well, and for sure not your way.

Doers need skillsskills they never learned and/or don't use. Besides, everyone can learn again or be refreshed. Employees will never accept responsibility for failure. They will always blame the companyyou. So put your people through skills training. In this way you will know they actually have the tools. Additionally business is constantly changing and your people need to be updated.

Be careful of in-house training. Consider bringing in a professional to train. Internal people, unless doing or managing the task, lack the beenthere, done-that knowledge and credibility to be effective. For example. many companies let marketing do training for new sales people. This is a curse to salespeople. Marketing pushes product advantages, features/benefits, and competitive differentiation rather than selling skills. This indoctrination makes salespeople feel they should go out pushing prospects to buy, rather than digging for needs and relevant information. They become annoying and never build their credibility.

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People cannot coach themselves. If Tiger Woods needs a coach, your people need one. A few years back he was without a coach and his game slumped considerably. You are the best to do the coaching. Do sales calls together.

First you do the interviewing. Discuss it and then let your person do the next one. It is crucial to give positive feedback. Also. once is not enough. You will have to do it until he or she gets it right. Better comes before perfect.

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Saying something was done wellno matter how small the deed-is a big deposit in their motivational bank account. Your urge will be to tell what the employee did or is doing wrong. No matter what you think, this is a motivational withdrawal. You have to exert an extra effort to spin negatives into positives.

Say. "Consider doing it this way in

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(Corttittued.fntrn puge 52 ) the future." This rvill be tou-eh because it takes more energy to find positives. or take poor behaviors and restructure them into constructi\ r' sug-qestions. than it is to just sa\ somethin-u negative.

5 Rcy Altention to Your Bod Dnys

Here's a typical situation. Yitu're up to your cars in alli-eators. It's a bad day and you want to stranclc someone. and now your subordinatc comes in and lays on another frustration.

Be very careful herc. Your day is not his or her issue and a negative reaction rvill inadvertentl), be a drain to the motivation account. So be alert to your arvful moments. Avoid 1,our pcople or at least decompress befbre ensuremenl. This rvill rniticate unirrtentional dama-rc.

6 Rewerrds Are Very Power{ul llotivertors

Rervards are catnip to emplolees' self esteem. Salary. benefits. and bonuses are part of the job. Rewards are special and pcrsonal. Ther arc public ackrtorr lcitl!telnent\ ol rour appreciation and can be verr ener-gizing.

Trro kcrs: First. don't prc\un)L' t() knou * hat u ill ercite a pe-rsolt. Everlone is different. Ask uhat spc-cial sornethin-g *ould excitc' him or her. If ther sar something ntonetar\. probe to sc'e rr hat else. You'll bc' amazed.

Second. the cost of thc- rc'rrard is not important. A Sl0 placiuc- tith the pcrson's narne is big. Dc'cals or coilstcrs are sicnitlcant. \lake it tangiblcsomethinS lirr thc-m and Others to see. This is a lotto-size deposit into the enrplor c'c's rnotir ation acc()unl.

.\lro. ntakc rcsards so that cvcn()nL'can $irt lirr ntccting c\pcctuti()n\. This crc'atc-s a tL'am atntosphc'rc tilr all to hc'lp !'ach oth!-r.

In sunrnrarr. dL'm()ti\ atilts is likc. coing dorrn a slidc--tast and sithout c'ttort. \lotiratins is likc- eraslinu up a tiight of stairs corcrcd rrith brokc-n SIa.:. Srr e hee k ) ()ur r)cslli\ c rcuetions and \ our !-ntpl()\ cc's s ill star nrotirationalll high rrirh little c'ftirrt on \ oLlr pan.

Althou-ch intuitir c'lr obr ious. thc' intplcntr'ntution rrill rcquir.- \()u t() push r oursc'lf into bc-har iors that arc different-and nobodr Iikcs ro chan-uc'. Horr cr c'r. if r ou ntakc thc' shift r c'lu rr ill stop thr- moti\ ational u ilhdra* als and rour porttblio ot' satisfic'd. hilhlr productir e enrplor ec's * ill keep par ing r ou dividends.

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