The Art of Delegating - I

The Art of Delegating

When we talk of delegating, our thoughts mainly turn to work, and yet all areas of your life--personal and professional--can benefit from delegating. You can delegate numerous tasks and responsibilities, ranging from hiring someone to do your paperwork, to asking your children to help with household chores, to using a computer to automate certain processes.

What are the benefits of delegation?

You have certain skills and qualities in which you're especially gifted. When you delegate the remainder, you'll increase your effectiveness.

Positive results of delegation include:

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   You'll have more time and energy for the most important things.

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   You'll have less to do, less clutter and less pressure.

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   You'll be supported by responsible people working together.

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   You'll benefit from others' experience, wisdom, thoughts and perspectives.

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   The people you spend time with will feel more confident and increase their skills.

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   You'll demonstrate to others your professionalism and effectiveness.

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   You'll get tasks done rather than adding them to your to-do list.

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   You'll achieve your results in less time.

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   You'll create a win-win situation.

Why aren't you delegating?

What's keeping you from delegating? Probably, it's either believing you're the only one who can do a task correctly, feeling like you need to be in control, attempting to address unmet needs, desiring the adrenaline rush of being busy or feeding your ego.

Have you ever said, "No one can do it as well as I can." The truth is, there are many experienced people who can perform certain tasks as well as, or even better than, you. Another statement would be more effective: "I can find someone who can do it as well as me." When you stop trying to do everything, you can focus more on your true gifts.

Sometimes your need to be in control stops you from delegating. When you need to be in control, you're effectively giving away much of your personal power. You can reclaim this power when you let go of your need to be in control. Then you'll be able to delegate more easily.

If you really want to free up some space and time, look at the areas in which you're controlling and see how you can change. You'll know if you're trying to control others if you try to take over, have your own personal agenda and get other people to do what you want whether it's right for them or not. You're wanting to control when you believe that it has to be done your way and aren't open to other suggestions or possibilities. What will it take for you to let go of being in control?

Delegating can also be difficult for people who have unmet needs, such as the need to please everyone, to keep people happy, to be liked by everyone, and to do everything. You'll be able to delegate better when these needs are satisfied. When you resist delegating, ask yourself, "What is my need in this situation that's stopping me from delegating?" If, for instance, your answer is the need to please everyone, consider in what other ways you can meet this need and free yourself to delegate the task.

Another reason you might avoid delegating is that you enjoy having lots to do and are always pushing yourself. You end up relying on adrenaline to keep going. This is unhealthy. Using adrenaline to get through life causes lots of ups and downs. You need to shift from adrenaline to a healthier and steadier source of energy.

Your ego may also be stopping you from delegating. When you expect other people to agree with you, when you stop listening to feedback, when you have disregard for people, and when you need time, money and attention from others to feel fulfilled, your ego's getting in the way. You need to set aside your ego and start living from your true self. Invest in your mind, body and spirit for a healthier life. You'll receive what you really want in your life in a healthy way without demanding from other people. Where in your life is your ego getting in the way of delegating? What will it take for you to shift from your ego to your true self?

How to delegate effectively

Now that you've identified what's stopping you from delegating, you need to learn how to delegate. Before you decide to delegate a task, make sure it's not one that could be eliminated or automated instead. Also, don't delegate tasks that you're really good at. You want to continue handling the tasks that call on your brilliance.

Great delegation is about delegating an outcome rather than dumping a problem on someone else. So, when you're delegating a task to someone else, give them plenty of information about your desired results. Offer clear and measurable objectives. When you're discussing how the task can be achieved, listen to the other person. They may have different ideas on how this can be handled fairly for everyone involved.

To whom should you delegate? Choose a person who would really enjoy the task and who has the appropriate skills or willingness to learn them. Also, select people that you trust rather than choosing just anyone and hoping it'll work out okay. Trust them to do their best and leave them feeling an important part of the process.

Be available to receive reports on how the delegated task is going and let the person know that you're there to discuss any problems early on, rather than letting the problem get out of hand.

Start by delegating small tasks and when these have been done correctly, increase the tasks. Teach the person the tasks and assist them in discovering the best way to carry them out for themselves. Allow yourself three times as long with this, so that you can really be with the person, understand their concerns or challenges, and assist them as fully as possible. Encourage them to set goals as they progress with the task. This will increase their ownership of the process. Let them know you confidence in them. Establish a deadline to build responsibility in the other person and to allow them to see the importance of the task. Communicate fully the consequences to everyone involved if the task is not carried out successfully. Let them see the end understand the bigger picture. Celebrate with and acknowledge each person's contribution. We all like to hear that we've done well.

Did you know that delegation doesn't just make your life easier--it also helps those to whom you delegate? Consider what you give to other people when you choose to delegate:

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   Responsibility

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   A sense of achievement

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   Enjoyment and fun in the sharing process

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   Income

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   Trust

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   An opportunity to grow, learn and contribute

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   An opportunity to be part of a team

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   The chance to increase their skills and self esteem.

Okay, so now you know the benefits of delegating, you've unblocked what's been stopping you delegating in the past and you know how to delegate effectively. What's the next step? My suggestion is to just take that next step, the action that's going to move you towards delegating more. This step will be different for all of you as you are individuals. It may be making a list of what you could delegate, thinking about what you would want in your life when you delegate more or finding someone to support you in this process. What are you now willing to delegate or automate in your life? You can all get to the place of delegating effectively and it's up to you to make that choice.

The Gift of leadership

The Gift of leadership

 
1.       “Leadership does not happen, it is taught, learned and developed,-I don’t know whether foot ballers are born or made. But, I do know the more I practice, the better I become

2.       Leaders relentlessly upgrade their teams, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach, and build self-confidence

3.       Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it

4.       Leadership has 3 dimensions and is product of: Vision x Inspiration x Momentum

5.       Vision is the positive image that Leader possesses of what organization could become and its path towards destination.
 

6.       Inspiration for individuals, team and what moves people to take action.

7.       Momentum to carry organization to its destination and meet goals with successful projects, initiatives

8.       Leaders get into everyone’s skin, exuding positive energy and optimism

9.       Leaders enroll, Leaders have a shine in their eyes

10.       Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency and credit-Leaders create an environment where every member is able to speak out his/her thoughts honestly, sincerely and without any reservations- Leaders work with a focused group of individuals to establish trust with candor, transparency and credit and encourage the group to take forward the values to every member in the team

11.       Leaders prefer to include every members opinion in a decision making process on critical issues faced by team

12.       Leaders believe in promoting the strength of every individual, rather than enforce members to be a well groomed professional in every aspect

13.       Leaders are principles centered and they live by principles or interchangeably values. One of the principles is “being proactive”. Leader knows if he is proactive when he has full control on whatever he wants to achieve. It makes him predictable and as planned. He enjoys joy and peace. If he is not proactive, things fall on him and he becomes reactive. This is stressful leading to no control and no predictability.

14.       Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls

15.       Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.

16.       Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example

17.       Leaders celebrate

Conflict Resolution

Resolving conflict rationally and effectively

In many cases, conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We've all seen situations where different people with different goals and needs have come into conflict. And we've all seen the often-intense personal animosity that can result.

The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth.

In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes.

The good news is that by resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as getting benefits that you might not at first expect:

• Increased understanding: The discussion needed to resolve conflict expands people's awareness of the situation, giving them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining those of other people;

• Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, team members can develop stronger mutual respect, and a renewed faith in their ability to work together; and

• Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in close detail, helping them understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness.

However, if conflict is not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Conflicting goals can quickly turn into personal dislike. Teamwork breaks down. Talent is wasted as people disengage from their work. And it's easy to end up in a vicious downward spiral of negativity and recrimination.

If you're to keep your team or organization working effectively, you need to stop this downward spiral as soon as you can. To do this, it helps to understand two of the theories that lie behind effective conflict resolution techniques:

Understanding the Theory: Conflict Styles

In the 1970s Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann identified five main styles of dealing with conflict that vary in their degrees of cooperativeness and assertiveness. They argued that people typically have a preferred conflict resolution style. However they also noted that different styles were most useful in different situations. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) helps you to identify which style you tend towards when conflict arises.

Thomas and Kilmann's styles are:

Competitive: People who tend towards a competitive style take a firm stand, and know what they want. They usually operate from a position of power, drawn from things like position, rank, expertise, or persuasive ability. This style can be useful when there is an emergency and a decision needs to be make fast; when the decision is unpopular; or when defending against someone who is trying to exploit the situation selfishly. However it can leave people feeling bruised, unsatisfied and resentful when used in less urgent situations.

Collaborative: People tending towards a collaborative style try to meet the needs of all people involved. These people can be highly assertive but unlike the competitor, they cooperate effectively and acknowledge that everyone is important. This style is useful when a you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution; when there have been previous conflicts in the group; or when the situation is too important for a simple trade-off.

Compromising: People who prefer a compromising style try to find a solution that will at least partially satisfy everyone. Everyone is expected to give up something, and the compromiser him- or herself also expects to relinquish something. Compromise is useful when the cost of conflict is higher than the cost of losing ground, when equal strength opponents are at a standstill and when there is a deadline looming.

Accommodating: This style indicates a willingness to meet the needs of others at the expense of the person’s own needs. The accommodator often knows when to give in to others, but can be persuaded to surrender a position even when it is not warranted. This person is not assertive but is highly cooperative. Accommodation is appropriate when the issues matter more to the other party, when peace is more valuable than winning, or when you want to be in a position to collect on this “favor” you gave. However people may not return favors, and overall this approach is unlikely to give the best outcomes.

Avoiding: People tending towards this style seek to evade the conflict entirely. This style is typified by delegating controversial decisions, accepting default decisions, and not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. It can be appropriate when victory is impossible, when the controversy is trivial, or when someone else is in a better position to solve the problem. However in many situations this is a weak and ineffective approach to take.

Once you understand the different styles, you can use them to think about the most appropriate approach (or mixture of approaches) for the situation you're in. You can also think about your own instinctive approach, and learn how you need to change this if necessary.

Ideally you can adopt an approach that meets the situation, resolves the problem, respects people's legitimate interests, and mends damaged working relationships.

Understanding The Theory: The "Interest-Based Relational Approach"

The second theory is commonly referred to as the "Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Approach". This conflict resolution strategy respects individual differences while helping people avoid becoming too entrenched in a fixed position.

In resolving conflict using this approach, you follow these rules:

• Make sure that good relationships are the first priority: As far as possible, make sure that you treat the other calmly and that you try to build mutual respect. Do your best to be courteous to one-another and remain constructive under pressure;
• Keep people and problems separate: Recognize that in many cases the other person is not just "being difficult" – real and valid differences can lie behind conflictive positions. By separating the problem from the person, real issues can be debated without damaging working relationships;
• Pay attention to the interests that are being presented: By listening carefully you'll most-likely understand why the person is adopting his or her position;
• Listen first; talk second: To solve a problem effectively you have to understand where the other person is coming from before defending your own position;
• Set out the “Facts”: Agree and establish the objective, observable elements that will have an impact on the decision; and
• Explore options together: Be open to the idea that a third position may exist, and that you can get to this idea jointly.

By following these rules, you can often keep contentious discussions positive and constructive. This helps to prevent the antagonism and dislike which so-often causes conflict to spin out of control.

Using the Tool: A Conflict Resolution Process

Based on these approaches, a starting point for dealing with conflict is to identify the overriding conflict style employed by yourself, your team or your organization.

Over time, people's conflict management styles tend to mesh, and a “right” way to solve conflict emerges. It's good to recognize when this style can be used effectively, however make sure that people understand that different styles may suit different situations.

Look at the circumstances, and think about the style that may be appropriate.

Then use the process below to resolve the conflict:

Step One: Set the Scene
If appropriate to the situation, agree the rules of the IBR Approach (or at least consider using the approach yourself.) Make sure that people understand that the conflict may be a mutual problem, which may be best resolved through discussion and negotiation rather than through raw aggression.

If you are involved in the conflict, emphasize the fact that you are presenting your perception of the problem. Use active listening skills to ensure you hear and understand other’s positions and perceptions.

• Restate
• Paraphrase
• Summarize

And make sure that when you talk, you're using an adult, assertive approach rather than a submissive or aggressive style.

Step Two: Gather Information
Here you are trying to get to the underlying interests, needs, and concerns. Ask for the other person’s viewpoint and confirm that you respect his or her opinion and need his or her cooperation to solve the problem.

Try to understand his or her motivations and goals, and see how your actions may be affecting these.

Also, try to understand the conflict in objective terms: Is it affecting work performance? damaging the delivery to the client? disrupting team work? hampering decision-making? or so on. Be sure to focus on work issues and leave personalities out of the discussion.

• Listen with empathy and see the conflict from the other person’s point of view
• Identify issues clearly and concisely
• Use “I” statements
• Remain flexible
• Clarify feelings

Step Three: Agree the Problem
This sounds like an obvious step, but often different underlying needs, interests and goals can cause people to perceive problems very differently. You'll need to agree the problems that you are trying to solve before you'll find a mutually acceptable solution.

Sometimes different people will see different but interlocking problems - if you can't reach a common perception of the problem, then at the very least, you need to understand what the other person sees as the problem.

Step Four: Brainstorm Possible Solutions
If everyone is going to feel satisfied with the resolution, it will help if everyone has had fair input in generating solutions. Brainstorm possible solutions, and be open to all ideas, including ones you never considered before.

Step Five: Negotiate a Solution

By this stage, the conflict may be resolved: Both sides may better understand the position of the other, and a mutually satisfactory solution may be clear to all.

However you may also have uncovered real differences between your positions. This is where a technique like win-win negotiation can be useful to find a solution that, at least to some extent, satisfies everyone.

There are three guiding principles here: Be Calm, Be Patient, Have Respect…

Key Points

Conflict in the workplace can be incredibly destructive to good teamwork. Managed in the wrong way, real and legitimate differences between people can quickly spiral out of control, resulting in situations where co-operation breaks down and the team's mission is threatened. This is particularly the case where the wrong approaches to conflict resolution are used.

To calm these situations down, it helps to take a positive approach to conflict resolution, where discussion is courteous and non-confrontational, and the focus is on issues rather than on individuals. If this is done, then, as long as people listen carefully and explore facts, issues and possible solutions properly, conflict can often be resolved effectively.

Avoiding Micromanagement

Helping Team Members Excel - On Their Own

You've assigned an important task to a talented employee, and given him a deadline. Now, do you let him do his work and simply touch base with him at pre-defined points along the way - or do you keep dropping by his desk and sending e-mails to check his progress?

If it's the latter, you might be a micromanager. Or, if you're the harried worker trying to make a deadline with a boss hovering at your shoulder, you might have a micromanager on your hands - someone who just can't let go of tiny details.

Micromanagers take perfectly positive attributes - an attention to detail and a hands-on attitude - to the extreme. Either because they're control-obsessed, or because they feel driven to push everyone around them to success, micromanagers risk disempowering their colleagues. They ruin their colleagues' confidence, hurt their performance, and frustrate them to the point where they quit.

Luckily, though, there are ways to identify these overzealous tendencies in yourself - and get rid of them before they do more damage. And if you work for a micromanager, there are strategies you can use to convince him or her to accept your independence.

First, though, how do you spot the signs of micromanagement? Where is the line between being an involved manager, and an over-involved manager who's driving his team mad?

Signs of micromanagement

What follows are some signs that you might be a micromanager - or have one on your hands. In general, micromanagers:

• Resist delegating;
• Immerse themselves in overseeing the projects of others;
• Start by correcting tiny details instead of looking at the big picture;
• Take back delegated work before it is finished if they find a mistake in it; and
• Discourage others from making decisions without consulting them.

What's wrong with micromanaging?

If you are getting results by micromanaging and keeping your nose in everyone's business, why not carry on?

Micromanagers often affirm the value of their approach with a simple experiment: They give an employee an assignment, and then disappear until the deadline. Is this employee likely to excel when given free rein?

Possibly - if the worker has exceptional confidence in his abilities. Under micromanagement, however, most workers become timid and tentative - possibly even paralyzed. "No matter what I do," such a worker might think to himself, "It won't be good enough." Then one of two things will happen: Either the worker will ask the manager for guidance before the deadline, or he will forge ahead, but come up with an inadequate result.

In either case, the micromanager will interpret the result of his experiment as proof that, without his constant intervention, his people will flounder or fail.

But do these results verify the value of micromanagement - or condemn it? A truly effective manager sets up those around him to succeed. Micromanagers, on the other hand, prevent employees from making - and taking responsibility for - their own decisions. But it's precisely the process of making decisions, and living with the consequences, that causes people to grow and improve.

Good managers empower their employees to do well by giving opportunities to excel; Bad managers disempower their employees by hoarding those opportunities. And a disempowered employee is an ineffective one - one who requires a lot of time and energy from his supervisor.

It's that time and energy, multiplied across a whole team of timid, cowed workers, that amounts to a serious and self-defeating drain on a manager's time. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with analysis, planning, communication with other teams, and the other "big-picture" tasks of managing, when you are sweating the details of the next sales presentation.

Escaping Micromanagement

So now you've identified micro-managerial tendencies and seen why they're bad. What can you do if you know you're exhibiting such behaviors - or are being subjected to them by a supervisor?

From the micromanager's perspective, the best way to build healthier relationships with employees may be the most direct: Talk to them.

It might take several conversations to convince them that you're serious about change. Getting frank feedback from employees is the hard part. Once you've done that, as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith recommends in his book What Got You Here Won't Get You There, it's time to apologize and change. This means giving your employees the leeway - and encouragement - to succeed. Focus first on the ones with the most potential, and learn to delegate effectively to them. Read our article on delegation for more about this.

Tip: Part of being a good manager, one often lost on those of the micro variety, is listening. Managers fail to listen when they forget their employees have important insights - and people who don't feel listened to become disengaged.

As for the micromanaged, well, things are a bit more complicated. Likely as not, you're being held back in your professional development - and probably not making the progress in your career that you could be if you enjoyed workplace independence.

But there's a certain amount that you can do to improve the situation:

• Help your boss to delegate to you more effectively by prompting him to give you all the information you will need up front, and to set interim review points along the way.
• Volunteer to take on work or projects that you're confident you'll be good at. This will start to increase his confidence in you - and his delegation skills.
• Make sure that you communicate progress to your boss regularly, to discourage him from seeking information just because he hasn't had any for a while.
• Concentrate on helping your boss to change one micromanagement habit at a time. Remember that he's only human too, and is allowed to make mistakes!
• Read our Premium Member Solution on Working With Powerful People for further advice on how to manage upwards.

Key Points

Micromanagement restricts the ability of micromanaged people to develop and grow, and it also limits what the micromanager's team can achieve, because everything has to go through him or her.

When a boss is reluctant to delegate, focuses on details ahead of the big picture and discourages his staff from taking the initiative, there's every chance that he's sliding towards micromanagement.

The first step in avoiding the micromanagement trap (or getting out of it once you're there) is to recognize the danger signs by talking to your staff or boss. If you're micromanaged, help your boss see there is a better way of working. And if you are a micromanager, work hard on those delegation skills and learn to trust your staff to develop and deliver.

Adams' Equity Theory

Balancing Employee Inputs and Outputs

Why Use the Tool?

Adams’ Equity Theory calls for a fair balance to be struck between an employee’s inputs (hard work, skill level, tolerance, enthusiasm, etc.) and an employee’s outputs (salary, benefits, intangibles such as recognition, etc.). According to the theory, finding this fair balance serves to ensure a strong and productive relationship is achieved with the employee, with the overall result being contented, motivated employees.

The Theory Summarized:

The Adams’ Equity Theory is named for John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioral psychologist, who developed this job motivation theory in 1963.

Much like many of the more prevalent theories of motivation (theories by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Theory, etc.), the Adams’ Equity Theory acknowledges that subtle and variable factors affect an employee’s assessment and perception of their relationship with their work and their employer.

The theory is built-on the belief that employees become de-motivated, both in relation to their job and their employer, if they feel as though their inputs are greater than the outputs. Employees can be expected to respond to this is different ways, including de-motivation (generally to the extent the employee perceives the disparity between the inputs and the outputs exist), reduced effort, becoming disgruntled, or, in more extreme cases, perhaps even disruptive.

How to Apply the Adams' Equity Theory:

It is important to also consider the Adams’ Equity Theory factors when striving to improve an employee's job satisfaction, motivation level, etc., and what can be done to promote higher levels of each.

To do this, consider the balance or imbalance that currently exists between your employee's inputs and outputs, as follows:

Inputs typically include:

• Effort
• Loyalty
• Hard Work
• Commitment
• Skill
• Ability
• Adaptability
• Flexibility
• Tolerance
• Determination
• Enthusiasm
• Trust in superiors
• Support of colleagues
• Personal sacrifice, etc.

Outputs typically include:

• Financial rewards (salary, benefits, perks, etc.)
• Intangibles that typically include:
• Recognition
• Reputation
• Responsibility
• Sense of Achievement
• Praise
• Stimulus
• Sense of Advancement/Growth
• Job Security

While obviously many of these points can't be quantified and perfectly compared, the theory argues that managers should seek to find a fair balance between the inputs that an employee gives, and the outputs received.

And according to the theory, employees should be content where they perceive these to be in balance.

Tip: Frederick Herzberg's Motivation/Hygiene Theory, which is similar to this. While Adams' Equity Theory obviously has a strong element of truth to it, it's probably fair to say that Herzberg's Motivation/Hygiene Theory has greater motivational significance.

Key Points:

Much like the five levels of needs determined by Maslow and the two factors of motivation as classified by Herzberg (intrinsic and extrinsic), the Adams’ Equity Theory of motivation states that positive outcomes and high levels of motivation can be expected only when employees perceive their treatment to be fair. An employee’s perception of this may include many factors (see outputs above). The idea behind Adams’ Equity Theory is to strike a healthy balance here, with outputs on one side of the scale; inputs on the other - both weighing in a way that seems reasonably equal.

If the balance lies too far in favor of the employer, some employees may work to bring balance between inputs and outputs on their own, by asking for more compensation or recognition. Others will be demotivated, and still others will seek alternative employment.

Herzberg's Motivators and Hygiene Factors

Learn How to Motivate Your Team

What do people want from their jobs?

Do they want just a higher salary? Or do they want security, good relationships with co-workers, opportunities for growth and advancement - or something else altogether?

This is an important question, because it's at the root of motivation, the art of engaging with members of your team in such a way that they give their very best performance.

The psychologist Fredrick Herzberg asked the same question in the 1950s and 60s as a means of understanding employee satisfaction. He set out to determine the effect of attitude on motivation, by asking people to describe situations where they felt really good, and really bad, about their jobs. What he found was that people who felt good about their jobs gave very different responses from the people who felt bad.

These results form the basis of Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory (sometimes known as Herzberg's Two Factor Theory.) Published in his famous article "One More Time: How do You Motivate Employees", the conclusions he drew were extraordinarily influential, and still form the bedrock of good motivational practice nearly half a century later.

Motivation-Hygiene Theory

Herzberg's findings revealed that certain characteristics of a job are consistently related to job satisfaction, while different factors are associated with job dissatisfaction. These are:

Factors for Satisfaction	Factors for Dissatisfaction
Achievement	Company Policies
Recognition	Supervision
The work itself	Relationship with Supervisor and Peers
Responsibility	Work conditions
Advancement	Salary
Growth	Status
	Security

The conclusion he drew is that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not opposites.

• The opposite of Satisfaction is No Satisfaction.
• The opposite of Dissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction.

Remedying the causes of dissatisfaction will not create satisfaction. Nor will adding the factors of job satisfaction eliminate job dissatisfaction. If you have a hostile work environment, giving someone a promotion will not make him or her satisfied. If you create a healthy work environment but do not provide members of your team with any of the satisfaction factors, the work they're doing will still not be satisfying.

According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are "separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction." Therefore, if you set about eliminating dissatisfying job factors you may create peace, but not necessarily enhance performance. This placates your workforce instead of actually motivating them to improve performance.

The characteristics associated with job dissatisfaction are called hygiene factors. When these have been adequately, people will not be dissatisfied nor will they be satisfied. If you want to motivate your team, you then have to focus on satisfaction factors like achievement, recognition, and responsibility.

Note: Despite its wide acceptance, Herzberg's theory has its detractors. Some say its methodology does not address the notion that when things are going well people tend to look at the things they enjoy about their job. When things are going badly, however, they tend to blame external factors. Another common criticism is the fact that the theory assumes a strong correlation between job satisfaction and productivity. Herzberg's methodology did not address this relationship, therefore this assumption needs to be correct for his findings to have practical relevance.

To apply Herzberg's theory, you need to adopt a two stage process to motivate people. Firstly, you need eliminate the dissatisfactions they're experiencing and, secondly, you need to help them find satisfaction.

Step One: Eliminate Job Dissatisfaction

Herzberg called the causes of dissatisfaction "hygiene factors". To get rid of them, you need to:

• Fix poor and obstructive company policies.
• Provide effective, supportive and non-intrusive supervision.
• Create and support a culture of respect and dignity for all team members.
• Ensure that wages are competitive.
• Build job status by providing meaningful work for all positions.
• Provide job security.

All of these actions help you eliminate job dissatisfaction in your organization. And there's no point trying to motivate people until these issues are out of the way!

You can't stop there, though. Remember, just because someone is not dissatisfied, it doesn't mean he or she is satisfied either! Now you have to turn your attention to building job satisfaction.

Step Two: Create Conditions for Job Satisfaction

To create satisfaction, Herzberg says you need to address the motivating factors associated with work. He called this "job enrichment". His premise was that every job should be examined to determine how it could be made better and more satisfying to the person doing the work. Things to consider include:

• Providing opportunities for achievement.
• Recognizing workers' contributions.
• Creating work that is rewarding and that matches the skills and abilities of the worker.
• Giving as much responsibility to each team member as possible.
• Providing opportunities to advance in the company through internal promotions.
• Offering training and development opportunities, so that people can pursue the positions they want within the company.

Tip 1: Here we're approaching the subject of motivation in a very general way. In reality, you'll need "different strokes for different folks" - in other words, different people will perceive different issues, and will be motivated by different things. Make sure you talk with your people regularly on a one-to-one basis to find out what matters to them. Tip 2: Herzberg's theory is largely responsible for the practice of allowing people greater responsibility for planning and controlling their work, as a means of increasing motivation and satisfaction.

Key Points:

The relationship between motivation and job satisfaction is not overly complex. The problem is that many employers look at the hygiene factors as ways to motivate when in fact, beyond the very short term, they do very little to motivate.

Perhaps managers like to use this approach because they think people are more financially motivated than, perhaps, they are, or perhaps it just takes less management effort to raise wages than it does to reevaluate company policy, and redesign jobs for maximum satisfaction.

When you're seeking to motivate people, firstly get rid of the things that are annoying them about the company and the workplace. Make sure they're treated fairly, and with respect.

Once you've done this, look for ways in which you can help people grow within their jobs, give them opportunities for achievement, and praise that achievement wherever you find it.

Apply This to Your Life If you lead a team, take a little time with each of the members of your team to check that they're happy, that they think they're being fairly and respectfully treated, and that they're not being affected by unnecessary bureaucracy. You may be horrified by what you find once you start probing (bureaucracy, in particular, has a way of spreading), however you may be able to improve things quickly if you put your mind to it. Then find out what they want from their jobs, do what you can to give this to them, and help them grow as individuals. If you do this systematically, you'll be amazed by the impact this has on motivation!

Mentoring: An Essential Leadership Skill

Mentoring from a Mentor's Perspective

Mentoring is an essential leadership skill. In addition to managing and motivating people, it's also important that you can help others learn, grow and become more effective in their jobs. You can do this through a mentoring partnership, which you can arrange within your organization or through a personal or professional network.

Should you become a mentor? And what do you need to consider before setting up a mentoring relationship? In this article, we'll highlight some things a mentor does and doesn't do, and we'll help you decide whether mentoring is right for you.

Becoming a Mentor

Mentoring can be a rewarding experience for you, both personally and professionally. You can improve your leadership and communication skills, learn new perspectives and ways of thinking, advance your career, and gain a great sense of personal satisfaction.

Is Mentoring Right for You?

Even if you understand the benefits of mentoring and it sounds like a great idea, you have to decide whether it's right for you. To explore your reasons for mentoring and whether you want to take this type of commitment further, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you want to share your knowledge and experience with others?
• Do you enjoy encouraging and motivating others?
• Are you comfortable asking challenging questions?
• Do you want to contribute to other people's growth and success?
• Are you prepared to invest your time in mentoring on a regular basis?
• How will mentoring contribute toward your own career goals?
• How will mentoring add to your sense of contribution and community?
• What type of person do you ideally want to mentor? Can you describe the professional and personal qualities of this person? Do you want someone from the same profession or the same career path?
• In what areas are you willing to help? Are there any areas that you don't want to go near?

Clarify your reasons and motivations for becoming a mentor. When you meet a prospective mentee, this will help you assess your compatibility.

What You Should Consider

Although you may want to jump right in with both feet, think about these practical considerations:

• Frequency of contact - How much time can you commit to this relationship?
  - Can you "meet" weekly? Biweekly? Once a month?
  - How long can you spend in each meeting? Half an hour? An hour? More?
  - Do you want to be available between "formal" sessions?
• Method of contact - Would you prefer face-to-face meetings, phone calls, or emails? If you were to use phone calls, who places the call? Can you both use an Internet phone service such as Skype (giving high quality, free local and international calls)?
• Duration of partnership - Do you want to limit the length of the mentoring partnership? Do you want to set regular intervals to review whether you're both happy with the relationship, or do you just want to informally review progress on an ongoing basis?
• Skills, knowledge, and experience - What specific expertise can you offer to a mentee?
• Confidentiality - How will you approach confidential business information? Think of ways to speak about general concepts and situations while maintaining confidentiality.

Where to Draw the Line

When developing a mentoring partnership, make sure you have clear boundaries of what you can and cannot do for the mentee.

Answer the above questions to help you clearly define these boundaries for yourself. Then, when you meet your potential mentee, you'll better understand your own mindset - what areas you're interested in covering, and what you will and will not do.

Take the lead on where you'll allow the mentoring relationship to go and what ground you'll cover. As a general guide, focus on your expertise and experience. If anything is beyond your skills and abilities, refer the mentee to another expert.

For example, if a discussion about human resources issues raises a concern about employment law, send your mentee to an internal expert or attorney. If conversations about work problems lead into personal or family problems, the mentee may need more focused professional help from a psychologist or therapist.

As a mentor, you can become the mentee's confidante and adviser. You may be called upon to be a "sounding board" for all sorts of issues and concerns. So know in advance how you're going to deal with difficult situations and getting "off subject."

Key Points

A mentoring partnership can be an enriching experience. You can develop your leadership and communication skills as well as contribute toward your own career advancement.

Mentoring can also give you a great overall sense of personal satisfaction, knowing that you're helping someone else learn and grow on a professional and personal level.

Before you begin a mentoring partnership, it's important to think about your reasons for becoming a mentor and the practical considerations and logistics of such a relationship. If you decide that mentoring is right for you, the time and effort that you put into it can reap great rewards that far exceed your expectations.