by Wojciech Graniczewski

THE POWER OF MOTIVATION

IN A LANGUAGE SCHOOL

RECENT TRENDS IN ORGANISATION

Innovation and change versus stagnation Variety versus homogeneity

Flexibility versus stability

RECENT TRENDS IN MANAGEMENT

Flat structures versus pyramid structures New approach to leadership and motivation

THE NEEDS OF OUR STAFF ARE STILL SIMILAR

BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE DIFFERENT

We need to find new ways to satisfy

(and manage) the needs of our employees

FACTORS AFFECTING JOB ATTITUDES

Leading to dissatisfaction(extrinsic)

Leading to satisfaction(intrinsic)

Company policy Achievement

Supervision Recognition

Relationship with the boss Work itself

Work conditions Responsibility

Salary Advancement

Relationship with peers Growth

What is motivation at work?

High motivation is a staff member’s visible

positive attitude towards the school, its goals

and the job to be done, demonstrated in action.

What are the main motivational drives?

LIGHT

DARKNESSaway from problems

tow

ard

s

ben

efi

ts

Understanding staff needs and drives is the first step towards effective management of motivation at work.

Our staff can either make or break

our school’ s business. Their positive

attitude is essential for our success.

Our responding to the expectations

and needs of our staff is as important

as it is with regard to customers.

We must define the roles that our staff

members play in the school’s success

and make sure they perform them effectively.

Our staff want to:

earn wages that will enable them to pay their bills have medical and other insurance coverage save for old age security benefits acquire friends at work win recognition be acknowledged for special efforts and contributions have opportunities for self-development improve their skills, knowledge, and know-how demonstrate and use special gifts and abilities realise their ideal(s).

Our staff also expect:

knowledgeable, experienced, and expert management clear and fair policies, procedures, and work standards business integrity clear job descriptions two-way communications effective supervision and positive discipline good company repute and customer relations company survival and growth opportunities for personal growth a share in the company's success

adequate pay and job security (to the degree possible) clear company policies organised work procedures and standards a safe and fair work environment an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation open lines of communication (formal and informal) systematic feedback social activities and other benefits

Good employers respond to those needs by offering and providing:

training and development programs opportunities for promotion company / industry information information on customer feedback information on the market situation sharing of company goals and objectives future expectations plans for the future guidance, mentoring and coaching adequate motivation

Good employers respond to those needs by offering and providing:

UNDER CONSTANT SCRUTINY

As school owners and managers we are under constant scrutiny by the people we hire. 

Our staff care to know to whom they entrust their fate, reputation and security.

They consider their work as a major factor that shapes their lives and the lives of those dear to them.

Once they feel confident that the employer and their place of work is what they wished for and expected, they are ready to contribute above and beyond "the call of duty“.

THE SKILL / WILL MATRIX

The matrix can be used to assess your employee's skill and willingness (motivation) to do a specific task or job.

Based on that assessment, you can choose how to best manage the employee towards success.

(or dismiss)

(or promote)

(or train)

(or whip)

PRINCIPLES OF GUIDING

Be clear regarding expected outcomes and limitations of time, budget, etc. Discuss and set methods. Check for understanding. Identify and provide required training. Accept early mistakes. Give responsibility and authority for the pieces of tasks employee can do. Structure tasks to minimize possible risks to employee and company. Provide frequent feedback. Require frequent checking early in the project, but relax control as progress is shown. Praise and reward for success.

PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATING

Be clear regarding expected outcomes and limitations of time, budget, etc. Involve in decision-making. Frequently ask employee for opinions. Check for understanding.

Give responsibility and authority because employee is competent and committed. Provide feedback. Ask for checking at key milestones or when employee has questions.

Praise and reward for success.

PRINCIPLES OF DIRECTING

Discuss what would motivate employee.   Agree on what is possible. Be clear regarding expected outcomes and limitations of time, budget, etc. Set clear rules, methods, and deadlines. Check for understanding. Give responsibility and authority for the pieces of tasks employee can do. Structure tasks for quick wins. Identify, organise and provide required training. Provide frequent feedback. Require frequent checking. Praise and reward for success.

PRINCIPLES OF EXCITING (motivating people)

Discuss why task is important and why employee is best choice. Show future benefits and gains. Discuss what would motivate employee. Agree on what is possible. Be clear regarding expected outcomes and limitations of time, budget, etc. Check for understanding. Give responsibility and authority because employee is competent. Provide frequent feedback. Require frequent checking (verbal or written). Praise and reward for success.

Participatory management versus autocratic management

Leader Decides Followers Decide

Autocratic Consultative Group Decides Delegation

Decide and Tell Decide after consultation and/or recommendation

Followers share in decision

Delegation of decision with clear parameters

Style #1: AutocraticDecide unilaterally and announce decision.

Ask for paraphrase to make sure you have been clear.

Style #2: ConsultAlmost decided, check reactions before final decision.

Style #4: MajorityMajority vote with leader having one vote ... no veto power.

Style #6: DelegationDelegate the decision with clear parameters of freedom.

Ask for paraphrase to make sure clear.

Style#3: RecommendSolicit inputs before deciding.

Style #5: ConsensusAll agree after discussion.

What are the most effective modern ways of motivating people for good

work?

Participatory management

Coaching

Cross-training

Delegation of responsibility

Systematic supportive evaluation

COACHING

The overall purpose of coaching is to provide help and support to people in an increasingly competitive and pressurised world in order to help them make right decisions, develop their skills, improve their performance, increase their motivation and maximise their potential.

”Coaching encourages learning, invites creativity and delivers higher performance. It respects the individual, builds confidence and generates a culture where responsibility sits with the performer, not the manager”.

(Downey) ”Unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their performance. It is about helping them learn rather than teaching them”. (Whitmore)

COACHING

Coaching is: future-oriented rather than past-oriented about ”how” questions rather than ‘’why” questions about empathising with people in order to help them move forward about inviting people to find their own solutions about motivation for better performance and development

Coaching helps: to invent and verbalise solutions to problems, to see and present a broader picture to compare intended behaviour with actual behaviour and motivate for changes

CROSS-TRAINING

Cross-training is a motivational and problem-solving technique. It should be carefully planned and presented as a learning opportunity (ex. to show to BO staff what FO does or to teachers what administrators do, and vice versa).

Cross training:

improves understanding of different departments increases job flexibility prevents stagnation, leads to better coordination and teamwork erases differences, enmity and unhealthy competition increases knowledge, know-how, skills and work performance leads to the sharing of overall organisational goals and objectives improves overall motivation and the sharing of responsibility

JOB ROTATION

Job rotation is a more sophisticated form of cross-training. It usually involves extended periods.

With job rotation, the employee is not considered as a trainee, but is responsible over certain job functions, for which he or she has to prove himself.

Both cross-training and job rotation create a team of workers who are more knowledgeable, can easily replace each other when needed and who gain new confidence regarding their professional expertise.  

These two techniques lead to greater motivation throughout the company.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

Can we really motivate people?

Not really – they have to motivate themselves.

We can't motivate people any more than we can empower them by giving them decent working terms and conditions, training, authority, responsibility, challenges , sense of purpose, esteem and opportunities for development and self-realisation.

We need to set up the environment where our employees best empower and motivate themselves. The key is knowing how to set up such environment for each of your employees as well as for the whole team.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

You know what motivates you, and so you know what will best motivate your employees.

Not really. Different people are motivated by different things. A key to success is to understand what motivates each individual.

You can't comprehend the principles of employee motivation because it is a science.

Not true. There are some very basic steps you can take to support your employees to motivate themselves towards increased performance in their jobs.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

Money is a the best motivator.

Not really. Money, a nice office and job security can prevent people from becoming less motivated. However, usually they don't help people to become more motivated.

Fear is a very effective motivator. Perhaps. But for a very short time.

Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance.

Research shows this isn't necessarily true at all. Increased job satisfaction does not necessarily mean increased job performance. If the goals of the organization are not aligned with the goals of employees, then employees aren't effectively working toward the mission of the organization.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself.Yes. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you're enthusiastic about your job, it's much easier for others to be enthusiastic too. A great place to start learning about motivation is to start understanding your own motivations. Supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task. Organizations change all the time, as do people. Therefore it is an ongoing process to sustain an environment where employees can strongly motivate themselves. Have one-on-one meetings employees regularly, not only for annual appraisal.A very good idea. Employees are motivated more by our care and concern for them than by our supervision. Getting to know them better can’t happen unless we set aside time to be with each of them from time to time.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

Cultivate strong skills in delegation.Convey responsibility and authority to your employees. Let them carry out certain tasks and decide how they will carry out the tasks. Delegation not only free up a great deal of time for you but also allows employees to take a stronger role in their jobs, which usually leads to more satisfaction, fulfillment and motivation as well.

Implement at least the basic principles of participatory management.Use them to identify the most important goals, to check if the goals are being met and to decide about possible corrective actions.

Establish goals that are SMARTER: specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, timely, extending of capabilities, and rewarding to those involved.

MOTIVATION SOME MYTHS AND TIPS

Reward for good performance.Focus on employee behaviors, not on employee personalities. Performance in the workplace should be based on behaviors toward goals, not on gaining popularity.

Reward soon after you see it.The shorter the time between an employee's action and your reward for the action, the clearer it is to the employee that you highly prefer that action. 

Celebrate achievementsWe are often focused on a getting "a lot done". This usually means identifying and solving problems. Experienced managers know that acknowledging and celebrating a solution to a problem can be every bit as important as the solution itself. Without ongoing acknowledgement of success, employees become frustrated, skeptical and even cynical about efforts in the organization.

LEADER’S DOS AND DONT’S SUPPORTING BETTER MANAGEMENT

AND FOSTERING MOTIVATION

1. DO what you say you are going to do when you are going to do it.2. DO be responsive (return phone calls, emails).3. DO publicly support your people (never reprimend them in public).4. DO admit your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions.5. DO ask and listen.6. DO smile and laugh.7. DON'T show anger or be cold, distant, rude and unfriendly. 8. DON'T send mixed messages to your employees so that they never know where you stand and what you want. 9. DON'T BS your team.10. DON'T jump to conclusions without checking your facts first.