WHITE PAPER Psychology Basics to Motivate …...ITE PAPE PSYCHOLOGY BASICS T MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES 8 9...

Psychology Basics to Motivate EmployeesA guide for leaders on how to successfully motivate employees.

WHITE PAPER

2 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES

Motivating employees is, in a word, complicated—especially in the modern world.

I can’t tell you how often in my work as a performance coach I deal with business owners who are frustrated by their inability to properly motivate their employees to perform and to adhere to their company’s culture. The generation gap is often labeled as the culprit, but in essence, it all comes down to communication—or lack thereof. Good communication leads to good results, but good communication isn’t that easy to execute.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

It All Starts with Proper Feedback 4

Understand An Employee’s Motivation 7

9 Unconventional Tips for Leaders 8

Good communication leads to good results, but good communication isn’t that easy to execute.


It All Starts with Proper Feedback As a business coach, I’ve found that feedback—that catch-all corporate

term—is the only way most leaders know how to motivate.

A recent Harvard Business Review article shares research suggesting that

simply telling people what we think of their performance and how they can do

it better doesn’t work (Source: HBR). For one, we’re not always reliable raters.

And believe it or not, criticism inhibits the brain’s ability to learn. Criticism

levied at the right time can be effective, but every time is not the right time.

To understand your employees and get them to do what you want, you need to know how they think.


So how does one effectively use feedback to motivate? Get back to

basics—psychology basics. To understand your employees and get

them to do what you want, you need to know how they think.

The following psychological principles of learning can offer guidance.

• Recognize and ReinforceInstead of telling employees what they are doing wrong, try telling them

what they are doing right. Identify the right behaviors, then look for

them. When you “catch” an employee doing a good job, praise them.

Positive reinforcement is an incredibly powerful tool and we all need it regardless of our age.

• Timing Is EssentialWhen you are teaching a behavior, you must use reinforcement to

shape the nuances of the behavior. This is where timing matters most.

Once your employees have achieved the desired behavior, you should

still reinforce it—you just have to be less predictable about it.

Put these employees on an intermittent reinforcement schedule to keep them wanting more. It’s like a slot machine in Vegas. If you lost your money every time you pulled the lever, you’d stop playing. But that one successful pull? That’s what keeps people coming back for more.

• Consequences Control BehaviorEmployees that are positively reinforced will likely engage in the same

behavior again. Reinforcement strengthens and maintains a behavior.

Reinforcement can also be used to eliminate poor or unwanted behaviors.

Again, think about a child who’s starved for attention and acting up.

Ignoring that child will eventually stop them from making a scene every time they want to be heard. Similarly, ignoring unwanted behaviors (when coupled with reinforcing positive ones) will eventually eliminate those unwanted behaviors in your employees.


• Identify What MattersOne of the biggest mistakes that leaders make is not taking the time to find

out what matters to their employees. Each individual’s definition of what

reinforces them may be different. “Compensation” might not mean the

same thing to you as it does to your employees. Some people desire self-

satisfaction (like positive reinforcement) and some prefer external motivators.

Find out how your employees prefer to be rewarded before you reward them. Try giving them choices—like more time off, a raise, a title change, etc.—and see what they say.

• Social Learning TheoryWe learn more by observing and modeling behavior than anything else.

We adopt model behavior if we value the person doing it. Employees

that respect you will want to do the things that you do, the way you do

them. This is why mentoring is such a powerful learning technique.

Show your employees how you work instead of telling them.

• Complex Behavior Is Simple Behaviors CombinedYou can’t explain all of your company’s procedures and culture in

an employee handbook that ends up collecting dust after day one

on the job. How you do things may be complex, but how you do

things is essentially a combination of smaller, simpler behaviors.

Break down the individual parts of the performance you want and teach them one at a time. Before long, all the parts will come together.

Instead of telling employees what they are doing wrong, try telling them what they are doing right. Identify the right behaviors, then look for them.

Understand An Employee’s Motivation

Motivating your employees is never easy, but it’s not because they’re lazy or

disinterested. It’s because you haven’t struck the right cord to stimulate their

personalities. Using the psychology basics above will help you get in tune with

your employees—and ultimately help you boost your company’s bottom line.


9 Unconventional Tips for Leaders

1. Don’t Assume Everyone Sees the Same Things You do

As a leader, you have a vision for your company. You have communicated

this vision to your leadership team and your employees — multiple

times. But your vision might not always translate to middle and lower

management, where it is ultimately executed. To ensure your vision is

both understood and executed, you must consistently communicate

with your employees — and be specific about it. Tell employees exactly

what you want, and you’ll have a better chance of getting it.

2. Invest in Management Training at Lowers Levels

Don’t just invest in high-level management, invest in high-level

performers. Even green employees can be crucial to your organization,

especially those who show the leadership skills that have them on the

fast track to upper management. Groom your best performers early.

3. Listen to the Influencers

The biggest influencers in your company might not be the ones with

the fanciest titles. They’re the people that others respect and listen

to. They’re the hard workers with an opinion, and they can play a

big part in how other employees see the company. Reach out to

these people and keep them on your side. Learn from them what

the issues are and have them help you resolve those issues.


4. Be Generous — But Don’t Assume What Your Employees Want

A big holiday party or team building spa day might seem great to you. But your

employees would likely rather have time off or more flexible work schedules

as a reward. In fact, studies have shown that time off and flexibility are even

more important than money to employees. Talk to your employees before

you plan a rewards party. Find out what they really want and give it to them.

5. Catch an Employee Doing Something Good

Too often, good deeds go unnoticed. Make sure to look for small

employee victories — a positive encounter with a customer, etc. —

and reward them, even simply with kind and encouraging words.

Recognizing good behaviors will help those behaviors reoccur.

6. Encourage Employees to Suggest Change

No CEO is deeply involved with every part of the business. The

people who are — the employees — are most in tune to the issues

that plague the organization. Acknowledge their perspective and

listen to it. Encourage your employees to talk to you without fear. You

might just find the solution to the problems with your business.

7. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of a Title

Titles might just be words — especially if they don’t come with a

raise — but they are incredibly important to most people. Though

many are afraid to admit it, titles mean something. They mean

status. Recognition. Validation. Acknowledge people through titles.

Titles can make happier and more productive employees.


8. Don’t Create Prince Charles

With all due respect to the Prince of Wales, responsibility without authority is

a recipe for disaster. Toothless leadership can be frustrating to those leaders

and the employees who work under them. Empower your management team

to make decisions on their own and take responsibility for those decisions.

9. Stoke the Human Side of Change

Successfully making a change in your organization takes more than directives

and a plan — it takes emotional intelligence at all levels of the organization.

Soft skills are anything but soft — they are necessary for an organization

to grow and change. Providing support and training that helps your team

develop emotional intelligence skills will solidify your culture, make any change

or transition run more smoothly and ultimately, boost your bottom line.

Looking to build your leadership skills or the skills of your team? Contact us today to learn about our customized coaching programs that incorporate behavioral and organizational development principles.

813.876.7191 I federerperformance.com

TRANSFORMING VISIONS INTO RESULTS

FEDERERPERFORMANCEMANAGEMENTGROUP, LLC

For more information:

[email protected]

WHITE PAPER Psychology Basics to Motivate …...ITE PAPE PSYCHOLOGY BASICS T MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES 8 9...

Documents

Transcript of WHITE PAPER Psychology Basics to Motivate …...ITE PAPE PSYCHOLOGY BASICS T MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES 8 9...