I had an interesting email from a reader recently, asking if there was something wrong with her!

She said she worked in a positive environment, where she was often getting positive reinforcement for what she was doing. Her boss was continuously praising her for being on time with her attendance or project inputs or meeting minutes. Yet, this lady didn’t feel as great as she thought she should. Something she said in her email hit home to me: “I feel that I am being manipulated, as if my manager had been on a course that told him to keep on praising people and this would motivate everyone. But I don’t feel good when he does it all the time. Am I wrong to feel this way, Sean?”

Interesting, eh? This lady was in a positive environment, but not feeling positive. Why?

Well, it may have something to do with our third myth of management; the fact that positive reinforcement practices often fail because they are dealing with behaviours, not performance optimisation.

Behaviour modification was popularised by psychologist B.F. Skinner in the 1930′s. His basic ideas revolved around the facts that when employees received positive reinforcement, they are more likely to repeat the behaviour that gained the praise in the first place. And negative reinforcement would force the employee to engage in that particular behaviour less often.

However, this often feels fake and manipulative. The lady quoted above could subconsciously see that the praise wasn’t really genuine. If it was, she would have accepted it for what it was. Positive reinforcement often affects the employee’s extrinsic motivation, but rarely their intrinsic motivation.

Coming to work on time because you know that if you don’t you will be reprimanded is an example of extrinsic motivation – you are motivated to do something because of what will result at the end of it.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is based on a personally-held belief.

Extrinsic motivation is compliance-based; intrinsic motivation is interest-based. Positive reinforcement systems encourage and improve extrinsic motivation, but not intrinsic.

As a manager, you need to find ways to create environments that improve people’s intrinsic motivation, things that will drive them from the inside, so their passion, drive, ingenuity, creativity and energy are tapped into. Manipulating by continuous praise won’t accomplish this.

Remember to mix the two, and you should get better results.

Thanks again

Sean

If you think you deserve a pay rise, say ‘Aye!’

Wow, I just went slightly deaf with all the positive responses! But, of course, you know the current economic situation and you’re lucky to still be in a job, aren’t you? Well, yes, but how does it feel to be paid less than what you think you’re worth? Is it worth the hassle and risk of asking?

It’s important to think through a number of issues and have lots of information when you do pluck up enough courage to make your request. Ask these questions to help you prepare for any negotiations on salary:

• How is your company doing in the current economic climate?
• Is this the right time to ask for a pay increase?
• How have you been performing and what evidence have you for backing up your request?
• What is the typical salary range for a job like yours?
• What’s the best way to make the request?

So, firstly, decide what would be the best time to ask for the rise. Naturally, this would seem to be during the performance review process with your boss. But if this hasn’t been for some time, or any rise you previously had is lost in the mists of time, think about whether you deserve this discussion sooner rather than later.

Then, make plans to meet up. This has to be a more formal meeting than your usual ones with the boss, as the subject matter is one of great importance to you and them. Link it in with performance measurements and career plans.

Write down your contributions to the company and how they have benefited from having you there. Keep a file of your achievements regularly. You’ll need to build a business case for why the company should increase your pay. Document why you should be rewarded. Keep track of measurable results from your actions, e.g. increased sales, quality improvement, decreased staff turnover, etc. Be absolutely clear on why you deserve this increase.

Know what you are worth in the marketplace. Most companies conduct external and internal salary surveys to compare salaries industry-wide and geographically-spread. Such information is widely available on sites such as www.jobsite.co.uk/career/advice/negotiate.html and www.salarysearch.co.uk . Have a word with your HR department to discuss what your type of job pays in your industry and local companies.

Talk win/win with your boss. You want them to consider this as a benefit to the company as well as to you. Show how everyone has benefited from what you’ve done in the past 6/12/18 months, or whatever, and list your accomplishments in a way that shows those benefits. Show how you are going to build on those results in the next time period. Describe your goals in ways that will support the company’s and your boss’s goals, and how you will continue to make a difference.

Then, ask for the amount you are looking for in monetary or percentage terms that you know you deserve and why.

Listen to the response. Consider the reasons for what they are saying. Remember, this is a negotiation with them, so summarise your position and make sure you understand their position too. If you do meet some objections, make sure you are prepared to explain why you still think you deserve the raise.

If the answer is ‘No’, then prepare to ask what you need to do in order to earn one. What else do they expect you to do? Write it down and make it very specific. You need to know what their expectations are for the future and what their plans are for your career.

Here are some things NOT to do:

Don’t threaten to leave if you don’t get the raise. It proves you’re not that committed to the company and are basically just out for something for yourself. It negates everything you’ve said before about being a company player, and isn’t career-enhancing.

Don’t complain to colleagues. This proves you’re not a team player and can instil a lack of confidence in the company by others, wondering what the future may hold for them. Politically, it’s a disaster for you, and if management get to hear about it, bang goes any promotion or pay rise in the near future. You only prove yourself to be a whinger and a moaner.

Don’t ask what everyone else in the company earns. Unless you work in a company with an open policy on these matters, most salary details are kept private. Instead, do your research on the net and find out what you could get by benchmarking other companies.

If you prepare effectively and are confident in your abilities, performance and accomplishments, there is every chance that you will at least get a hearing ear when you talk about your deserved pay rise.

Thanks again

Sean

How many times have you said sentences like these?

It isn’t very far!

Let’s get together sometime!

I need it quickly!

I would like you to do this really well!

We need to communicate better!

That will cost a lot!

Call me later!

I’m sure there are many similar statements you have made that are ambiguous or unclear in their meaning.

These are examples of what are known linguistically as ‘generalisations’, and even though we may have a clear idea of what we mean by ‘a lot’, ‘later’ or ‘better’, are you sure that the other person has a clear understanding and knows what you mean? Of course, the answer is no.

There are times when you want to be deliberately vague, not because you want to mislead, but because you genuinely don’t know the answer now. What I’m referring to are those occasions when the other person needs to be really clear on what you are saying, so there’s no misunderstanding.

The first thing you need to do is to be clear in your own mind of the meaning you want to convey. In this blog, I covered the three areas you need to be aware of before communicating effectively. They were purpose, intention and meaning. If you want the other person to be understand complete what you are discussing, become totally aware of when you use these generalisations, and whether they convey the meaning you originally intended.

Try writing down the sentences I’ve listed at the top of this blog and giving them to your team members. Then ask them to write what they consider the meaning to be next to each one. You might be surprised to see the differences that each person interprets the messages as.

Does this mean you have to be absolutely accurate every time? That would be impossible, but what you can do is become highly aware of what the messages you are sending actually mean to the person you are talking to. If it could be mis-interpreted, mis-construed or mis-aligned, determine whether there is a different way you could express it so it becomes more clear.

You may start off with a sentence like ‘we have to communicate better’, and then filter down into smaller chunks to clarify what you mean and ensure your listeners understand the meaning behind the message. You could continue with ‘ what I mean by this is the level of communication has to be correct for the situation and the message, and we need to be clearer in what we say. Let me give you an example…’ and then get more specific in what you need them to do.

Think back on occasions when you felt confused about a message given to you and how you interpreted it. Then think how you would have preferred that message to have been given to you. That way, you encourage yourself to reduce the amount of generalities you use and lessen the amount of misunderstandings you cause.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

One of our communication courses includes a section on obtaining feedback from your staff, and this is an area that many managers have concerns with. They feel that their staff hide their real feelings and are afraid to offer any form of feedback in case they say the wrong things or invite trouble because of disagreeing with ideas that have been put forward by you, the boss.

So how can you encourage feedback, so your people gladly give it and communication lines are kept open? How do you make sure you obtain honest and reliable feedback? Here are some tips:

First, be proactive in asking for feedback: This is necessary so you can find out if the messages you are giving have been received in the way you intended. If you can’t get effective feedback, you will never know if the messages have been received accurately.

Then, don’t be defensive: Challenging any validity of the feedback, reasoning out your actions, or arguing with the individual will immediately kill the feedback opportunities you might have wanted in the past and will get in the future.

Next, check your understanding by summarising what you’ve heard: Saying something like “Let me be clear I’ve understood you correctly”, or “From what you’ve said, am I right in thinking…”. These statements will clarify any misunderstandings you might have picked up.

Then, check any underlying assumptions: Ask clarifying questions directly, or identify the receiver’s assumptions by determining the meaning you originally intended to give and how it may have been interpreted by the individual.

Remember to check the other person’s non-verbal messages: Their body language, facial expressions, eye contact and posture may well give a bigger message than what they specifically say. So be aware of what signals the person may be giving off non-verbally. Watch for any mismatches in what is being said and the non-verbal gestures they display.

Finally, ask questions to confirm your understanding of the feedback: This is for clarification, not judgement. Determine which issues need further discussion, and get the real viewpoint from the other person.

Always remember the reason why you want the feedback in the first place. Be aware that your manner and attitude may affect the way the person approaches you in the future, so be open and willing to listen. Encourage feedback on all occasions and you will get specific ideas from others who may have a different perspective from you.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Have you been in the position where you disagree with your boss, but are afraid to say anything because of the repercussions that may ensue? Join the club!

There are many people who have been in this position and it causes more frustration than many people can deal with. They either lack the assertiveness skills to face up to the situation, or they fear the consequences of doing so. It may trigger a negative reaction from the boss, or you may be viewed as being negative.

But most managers tell me that they would welcome different opinions and actually value alternative perspectives…as long as they can see the value in the new idea and it’s expressed in a way that will drive decision-making forward.

If you do decide to be constructive and disagree on a point with your manager, here are some ideas that may help:

1) Ensure your ideas are in co-operation with your boss’s goals and the organisation’s vision. For example, “I think that this new project management system is actually more effective than the one we are using and it’s the same price. I know we’ve been using it for some time; would you like me to tell you the extra benefits we would get from the new system?”

2) Don’t just raise objections to what they say…come up with actionable suggestions. Your boss will appreciate some suggestions for alternative courses of action, rather than just highlighting what is wrong with their current mode of thinking.

3) Explain how your idea will overcome risks or bring greater benefits. By detailing what the alternative ideas will result in, you give the boss a better perspective on how it might improve systems or processes.

4) Offer the alternative choices. Hopefully, no manager (even yours) believes they have a manifesto on being correct all the time, so if you have alternative choices, it will help him or her weigh up the consequences with you and come up with ideas that could supplement yours.

5) Reflect their concerns and show how your ideas would work just as well or better. Tell them you’ve done your research and understand how your ideas might cause some concerns. Outline the results your ideas would bring and help them to see that the risks or worries they might have have been thought through effectively.

Naturally, if you both share the same goals and principles, disagreements won’t occur often. When they do, you now have some ideas that will help you have confidence in approaching any situation like this with a plan of action and a results-oriented approach.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”