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In Part 1 we looked at the essence of how to inspire and trigger high motivation in your people. I encourage you to review this carefully before reading Part 3.

In Part 2 we necessarily paid a visit to the traditional/authoritarian organisation model, which dominates the business landscape. They will likely be high on compliance and process, and lacking a culture of passionate productivity. Now it’s time to look behind the scenes of how empowered organisations motivate their people and your role as leader.

Part 3 – How Empowered Organizations Motivate

Community/ Participative management

Empowered organisations operate with a culture of community and participation. They shine in a changing market and fit the Theory Y of Douglas Macgregor’s X-Y theory, 1960.

fruit tree

Theory Y is optimistic. Assumptions:

  • Management expects the best in people instead of the worst
  • Free people to grow towards their own potential; create self directed teams
  • Judgement is valued in their people
  • Balance hygiene and motivator factors – keep the frontline people happy
  • Works brilliantly in a changing environment (because the frontline is valued, they feel secure to offer their best)

Features:

  • Empowerment and involvement (in the frontline and the organisation)
  • Customer service is valued (rather than the boss)
  • Frontline is valued highly
  • Leaders serve constituents (in focus and attitude) – lots of coaching, coaching
  • Abundance mentality (I don’t have to destroy you to get to the top)
  • Open information cycle
  • High trust
  • Motivator factors flourish
  • Hygiene factors are nurtured

This is a world where I’d want to be. In fact this is the culture I had in my sales organisation for many years, bringing enviable outcomes such as listed here:

Outcomes:

  • Commitment
  • High loyalty
  • Proactive involvement
  • Focus on growth and achievement
  • Productivity
  • Customer service excellence (because there is a passion)

The Foundation for this Model to take your Business

Fruit tree - empowered org

An empowered organisation is green, growing and has lots of fruit (profit, growth, job satisfaction). The leader and organisation’s values are like the roots that are the foundation to all business – reaching deep down and providing the strength, resilience and resource of the tree. The mission is like the trunk – providing  strong, flexible structure and transporting the values to the green growing parts (people and their productivity). All the strategies and processes come out of the values and mission, and customer service is the thriving, productive and attractive fruit.

  • Values – must be set into the environment. Reinforcing and role modelling the values is a major role for leaders, talking them up. They inculcate into their people the rich values as a foundation to this ‘tree’ right from the first interview.
  • Mission – is locked into values (no incongruence).
  • Strategies – of the company.
  • Processes –  getting it done.
  • Customer service – at all levels.

Your Role as Leader

Your vision and ambition should align with the company’s values and mission, and a focus on coaching your teams.

Summary

In the empowered business model the team is at the centre. As leader you will be creatively thinking through, “How can we use the Motivator Factors more effectively?” You make sure home – the environment around the jobs – is squeaky clean (Hygiene Factors in order). You will be constantly promoting and talking up the values, reflecting back to the company’s core values, and on how your actions mould the long term and reflect values. You will know that a short term approach is a ‘rape and pillage’ mentality toward your team.

Summary empowered orgs

 

Words and strategy are cheap. What matters is action. I encourage you to review Part 1 of this topic and study the characteristics of the Motivator Factors. While the Hygiene Factors need to be in order, the key is being courageous enough to challenge old thinking and ensure the Motivator Factors are pulsating through your business. This is where the passion is, and the engine room of productivity.