This query is interesting for the meanings imputed to “Leadership” and “Motivation”. If we view Leadership as having the following attributes: Out in front Public face Agenda setting Target demanding Driving Hard The do-as-I-say Boss The Decision maker Then under this sort of Leader, people have these experiences: demand for performance involves a threat – perform or else avoid identifying weaknesses a lack of self-directed work the vision from the top is obscured no-one cares how you feel about the work do not feel personally involved your opinion doesn’t count focus on satisfying the Leader do as little as possible commensurate with meeting targets no discretionary effort Such a work regime is familiar to many of us. It motivates us to do the job and not make a fuss. We are motivated to put as little effort into the work as is needed to satisfy the targets. We achieve our feeling of self-worth by how many get-out clauses we can build into the performance measures. We can beat the system!
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THE STRONG LEADER
I was fortunate to attend a grand event which promised to be very instructive. One of the headline speakers gave a first-class performance. He was a polished public speaker and held us enthralled as he described his successes and current challenges. I was entranced by the delivery but horrified by the spoken words!
Continue readingProductivity through Gamification
Have you, or someone you know, been totally addicted to a game? Minecraft,Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario? Avid players become totally absorbed in the game, in the “Flow”, and lose track of time. They put every ounce of effort into achieving the objective. They even read about how to do it, how to improve their game playing skill! Don’t you wish people showed the same addiction to their work? Why don’t they? Enjoy the video!
Continue readingLeadership and Communication
You will have heard that to be a great leader you need to be a great speaker. You need to stand before your employees and inspire them with your stirring oratory. It’s a useful skill to be sure, but Leadership comes in as many styles as there are people. Clear communication is the requirement. A quiet word can be equally, if not more, motivational. Please enjoy the video.
Continue readingAdvanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
And not just advanced technology! Anything that is achieved that is outside people’s expectations and experience is either magic or simply not true? This is exactly why I made this Executive? What do you and what should you do? The higher you are in an organisation the more you should be looking outside, looking for opportunities and threats. In medieval times the King would have a Jester. A Fool who would tell him things he didn’t want to hear, things that would upset his cosy existence. What do you do to get outside your cosy existence, your comfort zone? Where do you look for the magic, the next innovation, the game-changing technology?
Continue readingWhich management type are you?
Management comes in as many types as there are managers. It’s a shame management training doesn’t. Are all management styles equally effective? Which management type are you? Watch the video!
Continue readingAre you an Executive? What do you do and what should you do?
Are you an Executive? A Director, perhaps the Chief Executive? What do you spend you time doing? Do you spend it on “comfort work”? Work that makes you feel busy, work that you are competent to do but work that should be delegated? If you are busy, keeping your head down, who is steering the Corporate vessel? Who is looking for the rocks on the journey or the next innovation that could move you forward? Should you be doing routine handle-turning work? Or should you be building the future? Even worse is the truth of who is steering the vessel!
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