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By Mike Faber Shower, breakfast, out the door; that’s the regimen for many of the 150 million Americans in today’s workforce. Most of us start the day the same way. So why is it that more than 2/3rds of that mass of energy, creativity and intelligence find so little fulfillment in the job that waits at the end of the commute? Gallup Research recently reported that just 29% of the U.S. work-force think of themselves as fully engaged at work. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics says that average compensation has risen each year since 2002, and yet productivity in that same time frame has dropped just as consistently! Actor Cuba Gooding’s football-playing character in the movie Jerry Maguire may have said “Show me the money”, but it’s not money that many of today’s workers crave. Maybe we can chalk that lack of spark in the labor force up to burnt toast or too many bowls of cholesterol-fighting oatmeal. More likely, what many of our colleagues find when they arrive at work simply isn’t inspiring enough to warrant their full attention – much less an emotional bond. What invariably happens is that a supervisor sees that lack of engagement in their direct reports and instead of acting to change the behavior, the person in charge complains about employee morale. “We’re over-worked! We’re under-paid! No-one listens to me! It’s easy to lay blame at a neighbor’s doorstep, though it’s not very productive. Have you met people like this before? I once worked for a Fortune 500 financial services firm as a sales manager and learning development professional. When the stock market ascended to dizzying heights throughout the last decade, the firm rode the crest of a wave that resulted in fat 401K’s and happy employees. Engagement, creativity and energy oozed out of every corporate pore. Then reality struck; summer of 2000 and the market’s climb sharply reversed. The “tech bubble” burst, 401K balances went on massive diets, and rumors of layoffs swept through the corridors. As layoff packages were readied for thousands of employees (tactfully termed “Reduction in Force”), leaders who once were emotionally emboldened now emotionally retreated. Workers in the slimmed down company looked for direction and motivation from those leaders. What workers found were leaders who single-mindedly protected pet projects and pet people. Engagement, motivation and inspiration became bywords for “risk”, and risk was now something to be feared. Looking back, it’s become apparent to me that what that company in crisis and those employees (me included) needed most, was a focus on the people themselves. Instead of attempting to re-formulate old offers or the customer experience, our energy should have gone into employee engagement. How often do you ask those around you about their motivation and their dreams? A friend of mine tells the story of how she tucked her children into bed at night when they were young. Each night, with each of her three girls, she’d ask “What was the best thing that happened to you today?” There’s a great “to do” in that question for any leader. Here are three tips to help revive motivation in your own life, or in the lives of others. 1. Start regularly asking Glenna’s question of yourself, and keep a log-book of the best things that happened each day. Pretty soon you’ll have a list of what keeps you happy and fulfilled. That’s a tremendous resource on the days when seemingly nothing went right! 2. Build time into your schedule to connect with those you love. A five-minute conversation with someone who doesn’t care whether you made your last deadline, or broke the copier at work is a great way to center your thoughts on what really matters. 3. Thank someone at work. Preferably someone who doesn’t normally get the credit they deserve. My favorite response to “You didn’t have to do that!” is “You’re right, I didn’t, but it was the right thing to do!” The genesis of engagement and motivation occurs when we take the time to focus on our development and attitude. Give yourself, and those around you, the gift of your full engagement. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your positive motivation impacts the world. To find out more about Faber Communications workshops, keynote presentations and coaching, please contact Mike Faber at (877) 262-2402. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter at http://www.fabercomm.com/contact.cfm Learn more about Mike at Business Communication, Motivation, Elevator Speech Faber Communications LLC, 2006
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