By Wayne Outlaw
Contributing Writer

Everyday you hear leaders and executives saying they wish employees would be more productive. I’m sure you’ve heard something like, “People are just going through the motions,” or, “We really need to improve sales, increase operating efficiency and reduce expenses.” Some executives even voice the feeling that, for an employee, “having a job should be motivation enough.”

Yet with all this urgency and need for improved results, many employees still do not appear to be motivated.

Motivation is one of the most important aspects of an executive’s job. How well you develop your ability to create motivation determines how high you will rise in the executive ranks.

Is simply having a job enough to create motivation? No.

As a matter of fact, something individuals already possess rarely motivates them to extend themselves beyond their normal activity levels.

For you to get individuals to apply themselves more or to perform at higher levels, you must provide an environment where their interests are protected and they perceive there are reasons for them to extend themselves.

But you ask, “How can I develop an environment where everyone is more motivated?”

In today’s demanding business environment, the question really is, “What can you as an executive do to improve the motivation for your work group?”

Begin by creating a mission that motivates. This mission must be something large, something that everyone perceives as beneficial for all, and something perceived as making a real difference so everyone will be better off when the mission is accomplished.

The best example of a mission that motivates was in the ’60s when the U.S. space program set the objective to put the first man on the moon. This caused those involved to unselfishly work longer hours and make many sacrifices to accomplish this worthwhile goal.

Find a mission that motivates, even if it is as simple as protecting jobs in a certain location, taking over the position of leadership in the industry or reaching a specific result by year-end.

Once you have a mission that motivates, publicize it frequently and at all levels to have everyone focusing their thoughts and behavior on its accomplishment. Everything that is said and done must be viewed in terms of whether it gets the organization closer to accomplishing this mission.

Get all employees involved. Assign specific tasks for each to accomplish. This creates individual, as well as group, motivation.

Standards are minimum-accepted, performance targets. Everyone must clear this hurdle to meet job requirements, but don’t stop there. Set goals higher than your standards for both individuals and the group.

Don’t just focus on goals, but also ensure you hold people accountable to meet and exceed minimum standards. If someone is not pulling his or her weight or reaching standards, take action.

Lack of correcting performance problems or delaying action devalues the contributions of those who are working hard, contributing to the mission and achieving goals.

Publicly track and display the success of individuals and groups accomplishing their goals. Measure progress at each step toward the goal. In the lunch or break room, put up a tracking chart so everyone can see progress toward the overall mission. By simply making performance standings public and showing the progress toward goals, it will create increased motivation.

Don’t just reward performance when the individual crosses the finish line; reward each step all along the way.

Be sure to think in terms of small rewards, not just large ones. Small rewards can be as simple as an extra 15 minutes for lunch for a job well done. For getting things done early, you can allow people to leave early on a Friday.

Create an atmosphere where everyone celebrates the successes of others and looks for ways to increase success.

Creating a motivational environment means understanding the needs of employees and creating an environment where employees can satisfy their needs.

Give employees a positive and worthwhile motive for their actions and they will be motivated.

While a leader can identify the mission that motivates, the executive must also involve employees in setting the objectives, getting their cooperation and supporting them to create a motivating environment.

Never before has business needed more effective leaders to ensure success. Search for ways to create a motivational environment.

Wayne Outlaw is a speaker and consultant. E-mail him at wayne@ outlawgroup.com.

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