We’ve been looking at some handy dandy checklists and learning about how to use the power of small wins to engage and motivate our employees. I don’t know about you, but all the “dos” bog me down and I need a scenario. Amabile and Kramer provide us with such a scenario to illustrate their findings, which I summarize below: (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘ best practice ’
Who Doesn’t Love a Checklist?
Posted by: Amy on April 13, 2012
We have been looking at how to provide your employees with catalysts and nourishers to have more progress days and higher overall achievement and job satisfaction. Amablie and Kramer have published The Power of Small Wins that we are reviewing to motivate and engage our employee. They have provided a daily progress checklist to review the day and plan managerial actions for the next:
Describe 1 or 2 events today that indicated either a small win or a possible breakthrough.
Catalysts:
- Did the team have clear short- and long-term goals for meaningful work?
- Did team members have sufficient autonomy to problem solve and take (more…)
2 Steps Forward and 3 Steps Back Make Jack a Very Dull Boy
Posted by: Amy on April 5, 2012
In our last blog we found that what we know isn’t necessarily translating into what we do in the workplace. The research we looked at last time proves that we have to close the gap between what we know about motivating employees and what we actually practice.
With over 12,000 diary entries from 238 employees, Amabile and Kramer discovered that progress and setbacks influence all three aspects of inner work life: (more…)
“One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?” HBR 1968
Posted by: Amy on April 3, 2012
Employee motivation has spurred much research and debate for over a half-century. Is there anything new to learn or to say? Frederick Herzberg published our title article and his message is still on point – “People are most satisfied with their jobs (and therefore most motivated) when those jobs give them the opportunity to experience achievement.” Amabile and Kramer’s research supported his message and uncovered what undergirds that satisfiaction: consistent, meaningful progress. However, they also found that managers have still not learned this lesson. (more…)
All Your Fault
Posted by: Amy on March 20, 2012
Have you suddenly realized that you are driving your employees stark, raving mad?
Amabile and Kramer asked 238 creative project team members to keep a diary that revealed how managers stripped work of its meaning. Their research found four commonalities, the third being when managers inadvertently send the message that an employee’s work is of no value. This message can be conveyed when managers shift their priorities or change how they want work to be completed. (more…)
Stark, Raving Mad?
Posted by: Amy on March 13, 2012
Deprived of meaningful work, men and women lose their reason for existence; they go stark, raving mad. Fyodor Dostoevsky
Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer examine how to truly engage your workers in research published in Harvard Business Review. However, I often find it interesting to first take examine the negative. In our next few blogs we will do a mini-series on the ways you just might be driving your employees stark, raving mad. Then we will take a look at how to assist your employees in finding significant meaning in their work. (more…)
I Challenge You to a Challenge
Posted by: Elizabeth on December 22, 2011
No one wants to tell the boss they are wrong. But aren’t we wrong sometimes? If you actually know of a perfect boss, call Harvard Business Review right now so they can do an interview! HBR did publish Charalambos A.Vlachoutsicos’ six ways to cultivate engaged employees. One of the 6 ways is definitely not to be perfect. In fact, the third way is to invite disagreement. (more…)
Your Momma Was Right – You Need to Listen
Posted by: Elizabeth on December 20, 2011
Charalambos A.Vlachoutsicos is an adjunct professor in the International MBA Program at Athens University of Economics and Business who has outlined 6 steps to cultivate engaged employees. In our last blog we looked at modesty and how to step aside to empower our employees to solve problems and check our ego. I hope that in the past few days as you started to tell a story of your clever abilities and past success that you remembered our entreaty to be modest, clammed up, and saw a subordinate take responsibility in the space you allowed.
The next step to cultivate truly engaged employees is to listen seriously and show it.
Today we will look at listening – literally. While we as managers have learned the benefits of truly hearing our employees, we don’t always show it and they certainly don’t always see it. (more…)
Don’t Imitate the Best – Be the Best
Posted by: Elizabeth on November 22, 2011
Most human resource professionals would agree that there are many “best practices” out there and one must find that practice that most suits their organization. However, finding that best fit requires a determined effort to analyze how the range of HR practices match the overall business strategy and are closely integrated both vertically and horizontally. Such an analysis must also
- Assess and maintain fit between each of the HR functions (more…)
Wegmans Has a Fit, Do You?
Posted by: Elizabeth on November 17, 2011
We all need to gain a sustainable and competitive advantage in every level of our organization, from people to business strategy. This means that someone else’s best practice may not be the best fit for you. Wegmans Food Market Inc is a great example of a company that has responded to its low-margin, highly competitive industry by finding a unique best practice. They recognized a need for exceptional customer service that they achieved through high employee satisfaction levels, and a culture of responsibility and community service. Such strategic HRM practices ranked Wegmans in Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2005. (more…)
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