Manage Technology … Before It Manages You

Get Motivated

June 27th, 2005 by Hans Bjordahl :: see related comic

What differentiates a company on the rise from one on the decline? Is it strategy? Technology? Capitalization? Marketing?

I submit it’s none of these things. I’ve worked at companies on the rise. I’ve worked at companies on the decline. I’ve worked at companies that have managed to do a full U-turn from one category to the other while I’ve worked there. And in my experience (and that of my talkative friends), there’s one thing about a company that is the single best indicator of its success:

Motivated employees.

Employees who have bought into the mission. Employees who feel they have some stake in the outcome. Employees who leap out of bed in the morning driven to help build something bigger than themselves. They will work hard, work smart and work together to take down almost any obstacle in their path. I’ve seen such teams pull out shocking wins in situations where no one initially gave them (well, us) a chance. And the when the growth inevitably follows, these employees call their smartest friends and demand they join the team. It’s a beautiful thing to behold.

Unmotivated employees, on the other hand, aren’t just an HR problem — they’re a fatal corporate disease. This is true regardless of whether the employees as a whole are “actively disgruntled” or just “not particularly excited” about the opportunity at hand. Such employees follow the path of least resistance, erect obstacles instead of surmount them, and don’t feel particularly vested in the success of the company or their particular project. What’s worse, this attitude is catching. Mediocrity is a virus, and fresh talent is usually showing symptoms within the first few months.

The difference between the contribution of a motivated employee and an unmotivated one? Nothing less than stunning. I’d say it’s 2x or even 3x. You think customers can’t tell the difference between the true believers and those who are just feigning interest? Oh they can. You bet they can.

What’s the moral of this story? If your team has a motivation problem drop everything — and I mean everything — and fix it. Fix it before it spreads. Fix it before it’s too late. And don’t fix it with easy aphorisms such as “people are our most important asset,” but with real, meaningful and quite possibly painful change. Can employees tell the difference? You bet they can.

6 Responses to “Get Motivated”

M. Douglas Wray wrote: 27 Jun 2005

I agree - major companies about to undergo a buyout need to pay special attention to morale. It’s the humane thing to do. These are human beings, people get frightened, disheartened, disillusioned when the folks upstairs don’t feel like the staff needs to know what’s going on. The employees “turn the wheels”, they -deserve- to know what’s going - it’s their lives. HR would be well-served being more open, intelligent people appreciate being included - and will work harder to help the change instead of being swept along by it.

Luke Waltman wrote: 27 Jun 2005

I also agree with the previous comments. In organizations I have worked for, there are several reasons for lack of motivation, and it seems that many times its not just a team problem.

All in all, I think that if you are looking at a relatively new company, motivational problems are easier to preemptively deal with than with the older large corporations. In these old organizations, its seems that there are just lots and lots of people that are still there and don’t really want to be. I see way too many people that should have changed their career long ago but didn’t.

I think we all are afraid to encourage people to do what they love doing, and take risks to find a new career.

That being said, I’ve also seen the situation where someone is just burned out and needs a break, but doesn’t want to pursue some other job. I’d like to see more time off with/without pay for people when they need it between projects or whatever. It seems like if you’re at Microsoft and you move to another project and your running a little low on energy, you should be able to take a breather (for a long time, possibly).

Luke Waltman wrote: 28 Jun 2005

Here’s an idea, why don’t organizations create cults to motivate employees by promising them everlasting happiness! You brainwash’em and then its productivity time. All you have to do is be like L Ron Hubbard and write a whole bunch of arguments that beg the question. Then print a whole bunch of books called Corporetics: Your Guide to Eternal Happiness and Everlasting Productivity Gains. Put in a whole bunch of stuff about the company’s founder descended from the celestial throne to bring glory to his followers and all that.

Oh wait. That’s been done. I apologize.

The Tom wrote: 30 Jun 2005

My father worked at the phone company for close to 40 years and retired with a full pension. Those days are long, long gone as companies now can cast you off as if you’re a boil in need of lancing. Who reading these words hasn’t been laid off at least once?

In the immediate-results bottom-line culture prevalent in most industries today I submit that it’s a little unrealistic to have consistently motivated employees for the above reasons. People are less likely to allow themselves to get too emotionally invested in their jobs or they just plain get beat down. I’ve seen both good and horrible staffers get the boot and the message is clear: You’re terrific! But, alas, you’re gone. We wish you luck, but not with us. Here’s a box. Be out by noon.

I think there has to be a massive, cross-industry rethinking to the bottom line. Every company will always have painful times, but casting off valuable resources (decent workers) for a nearly insignificant gain to the current stock price is counterproductive. End the cycle.

Luke Waltman wrote: 30 Jun 2005

I agree with the previous comment. I think that the best approach is one that examines the long-term disadvantages of laying off a ton of people, rather than simply the short-term gains in profitability.

I have to say though, sometimes change is good. I’ve met quite a few people who were layed off, and they were happier in their new jobs than their previous ones. Its like I said before, its a question of if you are a risk-taker or not and how persistent you are in pursuing what you love.

Whenever I start thinking/getting depressed about layoffs and the shipping of jobs overseas, I step back and look at all of the people everywhere. Life goes on, and there’s always something to be done! Get out there and do it!

Arm M. wrote: 17 Sep 2006

Corporations are a disease.