| Motivation is the elusive elixir. Not only does it help | | | | systematically removed. Left to their own cleverness, |
| people do good work, and do it faster, but it also helps | | | | employees can often find ways to get more done |
| them feel good about it while they're doing it. Yet | | | | with fewer resources if they are allowed to substitute |
| motivation always seems temporary, fleeting. We call | | | | a more productive resource for a more costly one. |
| a meeting, bring in a motivational speaker, and fire up | | | | Unfortunately these "do more with less" initiatives often |
| the team. Yet, we know it won't last.What if we could | | | | remove tools and resources without permitting for their |
| make it last? What if we could make it easy for | | | | replacement by the necessary cost efficient tools to |
| everyone on your team to stay motivated day in and | | | | get the higher expectations accomplished.When tools |
| day out, regardless of what was going on around | | | | don't exist, motivation is at risk.Let's go back to |
| them? You could expect higher levels of performance | | | | Afghanistan. I'm betting you'd like some tools, and I'm |
| from everyone and create a team with an | | | | not talking about a shovel or nice power saw. A gun |
| unstoppable can-do attitude.Despite its elusive nature, | | | | would be good for starters. And bullets. While we're |
| motivation is rather simple to understand. Motivation | | | | making a list, let's add grenades, two-way radio, Kevlar |
| can be defined as a concerted effort to produce a | | | | vest, and a rocket launcher. Oh, food and a canteen |
| desired result. So let's think about that for a moment. | | | | would be really good. And a map to get us back |
| Why would anyone make a concerted effort to | | | | home."Do more with less" rings hollow when the |
| produce a result?Underlying all motivation must be a | | | | stakes are high, like when your life is on the line. Make |
| belief that winning is possible, that the result is | | | | sure your team has the proper tools to tackle the |
| attainable. When people stop believing that they can | | | | tasks ahead of them and dispatch them productively |
| win, that they have little chance for success, their | | | | and with confidence.No Training? No Can-Do!The third |
| efforts directed at achieving that success fade. | | | | key to maintaining motivation is skills. Individuals must be |
| However, people can remain motivated day after day | | | | trained on the skills that allow them to use the tools in |
| when they are playing a game they believe they can | | | | the context of execution of the plan. It's not enough to |
| win.Motivation can be made a permanent part of your | | | | have the resources if their application is left to |
| organization's environment when you provide the three | | | | question.Skills training still may not accomplish the |
| keys that will allow your team members to believe that | | | | desired result if it is delivered outside of the context of |
| they can win, that they are unstoppable.What's the | | | | the plan. A hammer can be used for both driving nails |
| Plan?The first key is a strategy. A strategy is a | | | | and pulling them out, and it's important to know what |
| best-guess plan that expedites the accomplishment of | | | | needs to be accomplished so that its application |
| desired goals. Motivation depends on having a clear | | | | supports our desired outcome.Without skills and training, |
| path to accomplishing a desired result. It's OK if every | | | | motivation will be waning.Forget the guns, Kevlar, and |
| detail is not in place and a few variables exist, but the | | | | rocket launcher for a moment. Let's suppose we drop |
| path to success must not be shrouded in fog. | | | | you into a tank, such as the magnificently sophisticated |
| However, the plan must be complete enough to permit | | | | Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Without training on how to |
| the belief in a successful end result.When the plan is in | | | | operate it, you'd be a sitting duck. Maybe you could |
| doubt, motivation is ruled out.While desire is a powerful | | | | figure out how to operate it, but possibly at great |
| motivator, so is anger. When Osama bin Laden was | | | | danger to yourself. What if you loaded the cannon |
| linked to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, | | | | improperly and caused a misfire? How far could you |
| the wrath of angry Americans was focused on him. | | | | drive without running out of fuel in enemy territory?At |
| Emotions were high, and it would have been easy to fill | | | | least the tank is firmly planted on solid ground. If put |
| an airplane bound for Afghanistan to hunt him down.If | | | | behind the controls of an Apache helicopter without |
| you were on that plane, imagine how your excitement | | | | adequate training, the risk to you goes through the |
| and motivation would soon fade when you learned | | | | roof! Without proper training, motivation is quickly |
| that the "plan" was to drop you into Afghanistan and | | | | replaced by frustration and fear.The same things |
| let you figure out how to find Osama. Without a clear | | | | happen every day in workplaces all around us. People |
| path for getting past the enemy and finding bin Laden, | | | | show up to work in the morning without a clear idea of |
| your early determination would soon turn to despair. | | | | how they contribute to the big picture, and without the |
| We all need a plan that we believe can work.It's Tool | | | | tools and training to get the job done. Deliver the keys |
| Time!The second key to motivation is tools. To stay | | | | of strategy, tools, and skills, and your people will |
| motivated, individuals must believe that they have | | | | understand where they're going and how they're going |
| access to the tools they need to execute the plan. No | | | | to get there. Those keys will maintain motivation, |
| matter how wonderful the plan, excitement will fade as | | | | excitement and enthusiasm by establishing confidence. |
| soon as people discover that resources are | | | | They assure a successful outcome and are reason |
| inadequate to permit delivery of the goods.This is the | | | | enough for employees to stay engaged and fervently |
| common de-motivator present in the "do more with | | | | work toward the big, bodacious goal you're ultimately |
| less" admonition. Expectations of employees are | | | | after.With the keys of strategy, tools, and skills, making |
| raised and more is expected while resources are | | | | motivation stick won't seem so elusive after all. |