Cycle through the 12 Steps for Effective Leadership, each time with greater nuance, on a higher level.

• By Robert Pater
• Nov 01, 2011

You’ve likely heard about 12-step programs to combat a range of addictive behaviors. These interventions have helped millions, including several people I know whose lives have turned around with their support. Similarly, there are many in leadership positions who appear mired in repetitive and self-destructive actions; perhaps they might benefit from such support. These dysfunctional leaders seem sucked into the lure of “The Dirty Dozen,” 12 patterns that significantly limit or even sabotage their efforts:

1. Ambiguity: Not communicating clear expectations of who, what, where, when, why.

2. Insincere delegation: As in, “I’ll pretend you can decide as long as you read my mind and do it my way.”

3. Micromanaging: ”I’m closely watching — and maybe overriding — anything you do.”

4. Unevenness: Demeanor seems arbitrary, so others can’t tell whether they’ve done something wrong (even when the leader’s just having a bad day and taking it out on the world).

5. Motivational emptiness: Not regularly delivering tangible feedback that helps others stay on track and improve.

6. Tyrannosaurical: Seeking to stomp out the most from others long-term by roaring out stress and fear. Doesn’t adapt to changing environments.

7. Blame shifting: Championing honesty and responsibility — for everyone but themselves. All problems are always someone’s/everyone else’s failing.

8. Not squared away: Planned changes fizzle due to not getting needed permissions, nor arranging for critical details in advance.

9. Overly mechanical:Assuming people are — or at least “should be” — orderly machines and behave as such.

10. Too cloudy: Only looking far ahead while never getting anything useful done now.

11. Me-ness: Unbalanced emphasis on covering their rear or playing politics, rather than building positive actions. Taking as much credit for everything, everywhere from everyone with a main thrust on shining bright.

12. ”It’s Good To Be King”: Leadership means only one person — the leader — is the moving force; others’ roles are compliant followers at best. Underestimating the power and import of actively engaging everyone.

On the other side, with due respect, here are 12 Steps for Effective Leadership to help elevate leaders’ effectiveness. Higher-level leadership can, in turn, ripple out to others becoming safer, healthier, and more effective and productive.

1. Develop. Start with yourself; effective leaders set the tone by leading from the front. Before you expect others to change, ask where and how you can improve, then continue to work towards on these. Only second, look to develop others as leaders, rather than compliant followers. Some will rebel against being treated as highly programmed robots; even others who try to do as they’re told will often forget or get complacent. And even willing followers are unlikely to seek or try out potentially creative solutions absent from their pre-written script.

2. Vision. Best leaders employ many kinds of vision. Look around (horizontal vision) as well as to the past and future (vertical vision.) Looking back can help you glean patterns of action and culture for assessment; looking around helps illuminate blockages to objectives, what competitors are doing, current opportunities.

3. Culture your culture. Providing the right nourishment is critical to achieving desired changes in culture, and small-yet-significant shifts can definitely occur in even relatively brief time spans. When biologists culture an organism, they provide the conditions (nutrition, warmth, space) necessary for that colony to grow. Remove or limit needed nourishment, and the new-grown culture will atrophy.

4. Expect people to continue to take steps towards improved safety actions. But don’t expect them to drop everything, be totally different, or ignore their current obligations. For example, cumulative trauma injuries take time to develop — and time to reduce. Don’t squash budding successes by impatiently acting on too-short demands for major turnarounds or return on investment.

5. Communicate without protracted delay. Alert others about small shifts in direction as well as timelines, progress towards objectives, their and your parts, reasons for changes. Even if this isn’t your personal style (“I keep my lips sealed until everything is worked out in advance”), understand that others’ needs and fears are what are most important to them.

6. Energize everyone. Draw them together toward desired objectives. Show them how it’s in their personal interest to make positive action improvements. Focus on benefits they can reap by applying the rights tools and techniques to their favorite off-work hobbies and activities.

7. Involve. Involvement is both an indicator of company improvement and a tool for accomplishing better and lasting performance. Look to question more, “tell” less. Find ways to invite everyone to become a part of a change effort, no matter how small. Inclusion leads to buy-in.

8. Customize. When bringing aboard any new system, procedures, training, or other interventions, be sure to adapt these to your culture. To propel change that’s less likely resisted, start from where you currently are, rather than trying to leap too far ahead to where you wish you’d end up.

9. Bridge. Build bridges across organizational chasms of positions, departments, site cultures (different shifts, multiple locations), and diverse employee groups.

10. Make it easy for others to lead. Reduce obstacles to others’ actually accomplishing visible changes — and provide “keep going” feedback when others lead effectively.

11. Nurture. Initial changes have to be supported. Just as shielding a seedling makes it more likely to take, protect changes in actions from the pests of doubt and negativity and the droughts of disregard or distracting demands. One way to do this is to have a senior manager be the visible spearhead/lead on any controversial initiative.

12. Consider. Make time for reflection, to sculpt plans with your mind. Don’t get so totally submerged into the daily grind you develop repetitive mental trauma.

Remember, this these 12 steps are not a one-and-done. You don’t go through them only once. Life, change, improvement, leadership — none of them is linear. Cycle through these steps, each time with greater nuance, on a higher level. Best leaders sidestep traps — often of their own making — to create firm footings for action change.

This article originally appeared in the November 2011 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

I don’t know what it is that makes it work, but giving begets receiving. There are times when it feels the deck is stacked against your forward progress, that others are getting a better deal, and that you’re somehow always falling behind. I’m in one of those situations now. Outward appearances aren’t always what they seem.

With different personalities, a history of a company culture, and policies and procedures that have become set in stone, change is something that can only come about slowly. There may be elements that are obvious and unfair, however, we always seem to have to go through a “testing” period before we break on through to the other side.

In my own scenario, my efforts are not going unnoticed. Better yet, the ability to rise above the pettiness has a positive affect upon others around me. I still struggle with my own feelings about the inequities, so I am grateful to see these “positives” showing up and letting me know that I’m on the right path. Allowing for what is, working for what might, and doing all you can, is bringing about positive results, and in other ways my rewards are being experienced.

“Let me see your list of questions,” I asked. I could tell by the quick look that Claire didn’t have a list.

“I don’t have them written, just in my head, but I could probably write the questions down for you, if that would help,” she responded.

“How many questions do you have in your head?”

“Well, none really prepared, I have the resume, so I just ask questions from that.”

It’s not Claire’s fault. No company ever trained her to conduct a job interview. No company ever trained her to create interview questions that reveal valuable information to make a hiring decision. Effective hiring interviews are a critical management skill for the successful manager.

Many managers conduct the hiring interview solely from the candidate’s resume in their hand. Change this one thing to make your interviews better. Craft your interview questions from the role description rather than the person’s resume. Every question should have a specific purpose to give you data about the candidate relative to the role you want them to play in your company. It’s not what the candidate has done (though it may be fascinating), but what the candidate has done related to the role.
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We are currently taking registrations for our next online program, Hiring Talent. You can find out more information about the program, here.

You don’t have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. Conversely, just because you have authority doesn’t mean that people will follow you. You must be a leader to get others to follow you.

There are many books on leadership. They can have lots of great examples and in-depth explanations, but sometimes you just need something simple to help you focus on the essentials. This article intends to do just that. These are the habits that will help you and your team achieve great things if you focus on them.

1. Goals
   Make it simple and easy for your team to understand the mission and to understand their part in achieving it.
   • Concise Goals. Keep them simple and easy to understand.
   • Focus your team on as few goals as possible.
   • Communicate the team’s goals often and through various means (team meetings, individual meetings, emails, posters, slogans). And then do it some more.
   • Track progress on goals.
   • Involve team players in tracking the goals so that they own the results.

    

2. Motivating People
   What you reward gets done. It’s that simple.
   • Incent team players to do the tasks that are most critical for reaching the team’s goals. Make sure the rewards are meaningful to people. Understand each player and what they want from their job and in life. That’s how you’ll know how to reward them.
   • Praise, Thank, and Recognize big and small contributions by individuals. Do this often and then do it some more.
   • Set High Expectations. People will live UP to or DOWN to the expectations you set. Set them high and you’re saying, “I believe in your ability to do great things!”
   • Empower people by delegating responsibility.
   • Celebrate team accomplishments often.
   • Encourage Fun. Make the work place a fun place to be. Yes, work needs to get done but short fun breaks can make all the difference in the culture of your team.
   • Pride. Foster a sense of pride in your team. As a team you could establish a mascot, create a team chant, and have a meeting that is focused solely on each individual’s strengths and the team’s overall strengths.
3. Walk Your Talk
   You need to practice what you preach. This is how you establish trust and credibility.
   • Model the Way by participating in the team’s tasks as much as your position allows.
   • Be Honest. Deliver on your promises. Actions speak louder than words.
   • Challenge Yourself. Do your best (and then some) just like you ask your team to do their best.
   • Speak Up. Just like your team members sometimes need to let you know what they’ve done in order for you to be able to recognize and praise them. They, in turn, need to know what you’ve been working on and what you’ve accomplished. So find ways to communicate this, modeling this key behavior.
   • Stay Sharp. You need to be competent for others to follow you. If you’re not improving, you’re falling behind. Always be learning and keep on top of the latest skills, technology, and knowledge in your field.
4. Inspirethrough a combination of
   • Unwavering Positive Future Vision
   • Commitment to Improve things along the way that will make that positive vision a reality.
   • Ability to Bootstrap as necessary when resources are tight.
5. Process Power
   Good process is like having a high performance machine. Sloppy process makes things fall apart. So be sure to establish these key habits with your team.
   • Establish Routines. Do this for the team and also work with each individual to come up with their own high productivity routines. These are routines that dictate what work is done when.
   • Establish Processes for all the tasks that are done repeatedly. It takes time to set up at first, but after that it will pay off in saved time and less errors. Processes describe how work is done and might involve systems for doing the work.
   • Task Assignment. As much as possible, assign tasks according to the strengths of each teammate.
6. Change
   Embrace change by seeking it out. This will tread a path for your teammates to follow.
   • Change Routines Quarterly. Look for better ways to achieve the team’s goals.
   • Take Risks. Don’t be afraid of failure. No one ever reaches great heights without a few failures.
   • Learn. Learn as a team from failures. “How can we improve it the next time?”
   • Encourage team members to take smart risks too by making it safe to fail. Focus on learning from past experiences and building upon them to find better solutions.
7. Advocacy
   Support your team and they’ll support you.
   • Promote your team members. Make sure others outside your team know about the individual team members’ successes. You want your team members to excel and even graduate away from your team possibly. Don’t worry. If your team is great there will be plenty of others who will want to join! This natural turnover of team members is like the renewal of cells in your body. It is necessary and healthy.
   • Promote your team. It’s your job to market the great accomplishments of your team in order to get the rewards, recognition, and resources that your team deserves.
   • Fight for the most important resources and changes that will benefit your team and the organization overall. Remember to pick your battles wisely.

    

What else do you think is essential for a good leader? Got a good story? Please share in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Written on 11/7/2007 by K. Stone, the author of of Life Learning Today, a blog about daily life improvements. Republished on 5/14/2011.

Photo Credit: The U.S. Army

 

There are many famous quotes out there, but there are only a few with the power to touch your heart.

In this article, I’ve gathered 9 famous quotes that will not only supercharge your day and make you wise, but also inspire you to go after your wildest dreams and aspirations.

The truth of the matter is that you can become and have anything you want in this world. The only person stopping you is yourself.

With all that said, let’s jump right into the famous quotes, shall we?

1. ‘Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.’ – Van Wilder

We all worry more than we have to. When you think back in your life to the times when you worried excessively, did your worrying actually solve anything?

If you really think about it, I think you will find that worrying doesn’t help nor does it solve anything. In fact, it often makes things much worse and it makes you feel bad.

Whenever you start worrying, instantly shift your focus to what you can do about the problem right now. If there’s nothing to do, let it go.

2. ‘It’s your thinking that decides whether you’re going to succeed or fail.’ – Henry Ford

Most people are more than happy to make excuses and give reasons for why they can’t do something.

It is in their thoughts that most people fail. One of the most common characteristics of successful people is that they are optimistic, positive, and they never give up.

They constantly imagine themselves succeeding and they face and overcome challenges easily. If you want to go after your dream life, you first have to get your thinking in order.

3. ‘Remember that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.’ – Abraham Lincoln

It is your own resolution and determination which decides whether you succeed or not.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve failed dozens or even hundreds of times, because if you don’t give up, your success is inevitable.

You can be a success, live a life full of passion, and have everything you desire, if you will just make the decision.

4. ‘You can do anything, but not everything.’ – David Allen

You can do anything you want, but not everything at the same time. You have to pick a few primary goals in your life that you want to pursue right now.

Or even better; just pick one.

This will not only help you make more progress, but it will make you feel motivated and inspired to take action.

When you focus on as few things as possible, you give your subconscious mind a solid target to aim at.

5. ‘You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.’ – Wayne Gretzky

How many regrets do you have? How many times have you wished that you would’ve had the courage to do something?

If you’re like most people, it’s pretty often.

Take that feeling and use it to take action right now. Go after what you want, even though you may not believe that it is possible.

Go take that new yoga class, try painting because you always wanted to try it, or start your online business today.

6. ‘We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.’ – Aristotle

Courage, self-discipline, and the ability to get things done is not something you’re born with. You can cultivate the habit of being productive and achieving your goals by constantly doing so.

The people that are living their dream lives are able to do so because they have taken action. They have been where you are, and they have overcome their inertia and started moving forward.

And they have kept moving forward despite their fears and despite any challenges that stood in their way.

You can do the same. You can always make excuses but the truth is that you can always do something, so begin with that.

7. ‘Work like you don’t need money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like no one’s watching.’ – Unknown Author

When you find work that you would do for free, you have found your passion and calling in life. When you have no expectations, your life will be like dance.

Most people love because they want to be loved. And most people don’t dance, because they fear embarrassment.

I say, love because it feels good, and dance even though you may look like a complete idiot if that is what you want to do.

Life is meant to be an adventure full of fun, passion, and meaning. You are the only one that can create that for you.

8. ‘Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.’ – Albert Einstein

Use your imagination to create the life of your dreams. You’ve heard of the law of attraction, which is excellent, but what most people often forget is that there’s also a law of action.

Use your imagination to plant the seed in your subconscious mind about what you want, but after that start taking massive action.

You can have what you want, if you will only go after it. I repeat this over and over because it is true and I want you to understand that.

9.’The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.’ – Lao Tzu

No matter what you want to accomplish in life. And no matter how long you think the journey is, it all begins with a single step.

For example, building a profitable online business begins with a single step. You can take that step today if you choose to, or you can put it off until another day.

And that day may never come, so you as well get started now.

From the Ask Tom mailbag:

Question:
I am the HR Director for a large company. Part of my role, is assisting managers in the hiring process. Very frustrating. Most times, these guys will make a hiring decision in the first 30 seconds of the interview. Our revolving door can barely keep track of the spin-outs. How can I get my managers to slow down, to make a decision only after they have asked some better questions?

Response:
Your description is typical of most hiring decisions that I see.

“There is a candidate down the hall interviewing for the supervisor’s decision. Everyone else likes him. Can you go see if you like him, too?”

So, here we are, 30 seconds into the interview and the candidate reminds me of my best drinking buddy from college. I had a half dozen questions that I scribbled on a yellow pad, but couldn’t find the pad before the interview started. I can always tell the candidate about this “great place to work.” If he looks interested, maybe he will take the job.

Can we stop our initial reactions (first impressions) in the interview? NO!!

We are people and cannot stop those first impressions. But first impressions are not sufficient to make a sound hiring decision. The reason most managers rely on those first impressions is that they are totally unprepared to enter the interview room. Most have only a sketchy intuitive understanding of the role and rarely more than six or seven prepared questions.

As an HR professional, part of your role, is to insist on a discipline in the hiring process. The first discipline is the creation of a coherent role description, where the tasks and activities are organized into 5-8 Key Result Areas. The second discipline is the preparation of ten questions for each Key Result Area. Now the Hiring Manager is ready, with 50-80 written prepared questions. For every written question, it is likely the manager will ask two drill-down questions, meaning, during the course of the interview, there will be 150-240 questions asked.

Now, we can have all the first impressions we want, but that first impression will be balanced by 150 pieces of data, specifically related to the role. The quality of your hiring decisions will rise dramatically.
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We are currently taking registrations for our next online program, Hiring Talent. You can find out more information about the program, here.

“We are made to persist. That’s how we find out who we are.” — Tobias Wolff, Writer

The interesting thing about success is that anyone can do it. If you simply do what successful people do, you are inevitably going to be successful. Right? Well, ok, maybe it’s not simply a case of follow the leader. However, I can tell you that settling for ‘good enough’ is not the way to succeed.

Those that settle for good enough will regret their decision sooner or later and yearn for more. Good enough is simply never, well, be good enough.

Despite what the gurus tell you, there is no master secret or plan. There is however something else, something that is easily overlooked. It’s your brain, your vision and your passion. The ideal combination of those ingredients will help you supremely in life and believe it or not, success will follow if you figure this out.

Within this process, there are a ton of variables to consider. We’re going to talk about five major ones here.

1. Clarity
   First, you have to know what you want. It’s not enough to go after a profession that pays well. Making money your #1 priority will destroy your soul. It will leave you unsatisfied and miserable. Why do you think so many people have seemingly great jobs that pay well, but are still deeply depressed and unfulfilled?

In order to discover what you want, you have to first discover what you don’t want. This can only be accomplished by trying, experimenting, and taking massive action. When you start, you will always be confused and unclear. As you keep moving forward, you will feel inspired to take action in one direction instead of the other.

If you follow your heart, your life will not only become a fascinating adventure, but a journey of personal growth.

• Focus
  Once you become clear about what you want to do, it’s important that you focus on the tasks that help you make the most progress. For example, if you’re building an online business, you can spend all the time you want checking email, but it won’t get you closer to the goals that truly matter in your life.

An online business is not a business until a sale is made. In order to make sales, you have to create products, recommend products, build an email list, and do work that matters. It’s hard work and often uncomfortable, which is why most people avoid it. If you can discipline yourself to work on high-value tasks, your life will change for the better.

• Goal Setting
  Goal setting gives your mind something to focus on. Our brains are goal seeking mechanisms. If you don’t give your mind something to go after, it won’t know what to do.

When you have a goal, you will feel clear, motivated, and inspired to take action, because you know where you are going.

A simple way to set simple goals is to ask yourself where you want to be twelve months from now. Use the SMART criteriafor setting goals, which stands for

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

If you’re starting an online business, a good goal might be to get it to $1,000/month in 12 months. After you have that goal, you can start brainstorming how to attain that goal.

• Action
  Once you’ve set your goal, it’s time to start taking massive action. Most successful people are positive. They face the same amount of challenges as anyone else. The only difference is that they view their failures differently. They know that by trying many things, they will succeed sooner or later, while unsuccessful people tend to give up before they’ve even started.

If you want to succeed at anything, you have to become relentless.

• Trial & Error
  Becoming successful is all about trial and error. The more you fail, the faster you will succeed. Keeping with our online business example, the way I succeeded in creating an online income was to be willing to try different things until I succeeded.

This doesn’t mean you should jump from thing to thing before you’ve given it a chance. Believe me, I’ve been there and done that, and it doesn’t work.

What you should do is pick one thing that has been proven to work, and make it work. It doesn’t matter if you make $50/month or $500/month. The important thing is that you stay focuseduntil you make it work.

Action Steps
I want to leave you with a few action steps you can take right now to improve your life and the probability that you will succeed. So grab a pen and a piece of paper and get ready. By doing the simple exercises below, you will be much more likely to get what you want.

Remember, you can’t get what you want if you don’t know what you want in the first place.

1. Get clear about what you want. What is the final result you are after? Do you want better relationships, financial independence or something else?

• Set a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely goal. Write down 10 things you want to accomplish in the next 12 months.

• Write your most important goal at the top of a blank sheet of paper and brainstorm ways to make it happen. Do this until you feel you can’t come up with any more ways, then push yourself to come up with more.

Anyone can become successful. There are no excuses. You can manifest your wildest dreams if you truly want to.

Written on 5/7/2011 by Henri Junttila. Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where he shares his personal tips on how you can live the life you know you deserve. When you feel ready to take action, get his free course: Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less. And if you liked this article, you will enjoy one of his top articles: 77 Great Quotes That Will Change Your Life.

Photo Credit: baileyraeweaver

Pre-registration is now open for our new program – Hiring Talent.

Most of my conversations the past few weeks have been about recruiting. Business volume is picking up (slowly). There is movement in the candidate pool. Most companies are totally unprepared to regenerate their hiring process.

Purpose of this program – to train managers and HR specialists in the discipline of conducting more effective interviews in the context of a managed recruiting process.

How long is the program? This program will take eight weeks.

How do people participate in the program? This is an online program conducted by Tom Foster. Participants will be responsible for online assignments and participating in online facilitated discussion groups with other participants. This online platform is highly interactive. Participants will be interacting with Tom Foster and other participants as they work through this program. Pre-register Now.

Who should participate? This program is designed for Stratum III and Stratum IV managers and HR managers who play active roles in the recruiting process for their organizations.

What is the cost? The program investment is $699 per participant.

When is the program scheduled? Registration is now open. The program will start following the registration period, in late May or early June.

How much time is required to participate in this program? Participants should reserve approximately 2 hours per week. This program is designed so participants can complete their assignments on their own schedule anytime during each week’s assignment period.

Pre-register Now.

Week One
Orientation

Week Two
What we are up against
Specific challenges in the process
Problems in the process
Defining the overall process
Introduction to the Role Description
Organizing the Role Description
Defining Tasks
Defining Goals
Identifying Time Span
Assignment – Create a specific role description

Week Three
Publish and critique role descriptions

Week Four
Creating effective interview questions
General characteristics of effective questions
How to develop effective questions
How to interview for attitudes and non-behavioral elements
How to interview for Time Span
Assignment – Create a battery of interview questions for the specific role description

Week Five
Publish and critique battery of interview questions

Week Six
Organizing the interview process
Taking Notes during the process
Telephone Screening
Conducting the telephone interview
Conducting the face-to-face interview
Working with an interview team
Compiling the interview data into a Decision Matrix
Background Checks, Reference Checks
Behavioral Assessments
Drug Testing
Assignment – Conduct a face-to-face interview

Week Seven
Publish and critique results of interview process

Week Eight
Using Profile Assessments

Registration
Pre-registration is now open for this program. No payment is due at this time.

We are all motivated by unique desires, expectations, and interests, but there are still overarching tendencies and values people possess that impact their motivation.

So, when it comes to motivating others, tapping into what they need and how they want to be treated is a key factor in making a connection and prompting action. Following the principle of “What’s in it for me?” offers a valuable approach to begin satisfying others needs and to spur lasting motivation.

From this perspective we are all motivated by personal interest, and want to see the value in what we are doing. Learning to treat and interact with people in the way they want to be treated offers valuable leverage to influence them in a positive manner.

Whether you want to enhance the level of motivation of co-workers, family members, or friends, consider what they would want. What is their personality like? What behavior tendencies do they have, and how do they usually express themselves?

By uncovering this information you can connect with others in the most effect way by treating them how they want to be treated. Almost anyone you’re dealing with should fit somewhere in the six needs below.

1. The need for autonomy
   This is the need to have control and be a causal agent in our environment. Individuals with this need and personality trait are often self-reliant, self-motivated, and desire to work on their own schedule. You will notice these types of individuals tend to be independent, creative, and nonlinear thinkers. In order to really be motivated they need to have freedom to do things their way and on their time. If you are working with someone of this nature their motivation will be stifled if they are placed within strict boundaries.
2. The need for power
   This need refers to the level of importance and influence someone desires. People with this need and personality trait would rather take charge of a situation and can effectively do so. They are often strong in expressing their opinions and reaching goals. When around people who tend to elicit control and take the lead it can be helpful to offer them an influential role in what they are doing. These people desire to be leaders and will not be motivated by a submissive and inhibited role.
3. The need for achievement
   Many people are motivated by the successful completion of projects and activities. So, be aware that someone with a need for achievement is likely to have high aspirations and be ambitious, and just as the label implies are very achievement-oriented. If someone has a need for achievement, help them to apply their talents and strengths in order to accomplish goals and attain success. They will be motivated by seeing progress occur.
4. The need for affiliation
   We are social creatures and want to be connected to others. Particularly, for more extroverted individuals, the need for affiliation is a major a factor in motivation. They derive energy from being a part of a group and interacting with others, and you can expect them to be very open and expressive. Realize the importance of relationships and socializing as a source of motivation for these people and make them a part of tasks or activities where they will be interacting with others.
5. The need for esteem
   Many people need validation and confirmation about the quality of their work. This provides insight that they’re doing their work effectively and successfully. People who have a need for esteem can be motivated by being shown recognition and respect. These individuals want to feel that they are doing a good job and that they’re appreciated for their efforts. Offering public praise and positive reinforcement can really be effective to motive someone with this need.




6. The need for equity
   Knowing we are being treated fairly can be a major factor in our emotional state and hence our level of motivation. Showing people there is mutual benefit and value from everyone’s contributions can be very effective in managing dynamics within teams and groups. When it seems others are getting much better treatment we can develop a negative perception that really dampens motivation. Making a concerted effort to treat people the same and not provide preferential treatment will serve you well in motivating almost anyone that believes in the virtue of equity.

Many people will fall somewhere in between these needs, though by being observant and aware of peoples’ behaviors and tendencies you can learn what makes them tick and begin to interact with them in the most effective way. If one area doesn’t seem to be that important to them try another approach until you find what their driving needs are. When you do so, you can be sure your interactions will be much more positive and productive.

Written on 5/2/2011 by Joe Wilner. Joe Wilner is a coaching and writer who manages www.shakeoffthegrind.com, where he inspires and empowers people to live a full, meaningful, and thriving life. You can also follow him on Twitter at @shakethegrind.

Photo Credit: Erin and Joe

Wes was turning inward, thinking about his role. “I never really thought about the people system that I’m responsible for. I always thought of recruiting as a necessary evil. We never plan for it. Conducting interviews is always inconvenient. I fill a position as quick as I can, so I can get back to my real work as a manager.”

“And what real work is that?” I asked.

“You know, motivation issues, management issues,” Wes replied.

“Did you ever think that if you focused more on the selection side in your recruiting process, that your issues related to motivation and management might disappear?”
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Next week, we will begin registration for our new online program, Hiring Talent. This interactive program is eight weeks in length and is designed for Hiring Managers, Managers Once Removed and Human Resource Managers. More details next week. -TF