The Mindful Manager

I’m motivated to do a good job when I have the freedom to manage my team without interference from my manager. Why? Because I enjoy taking on new challenges and like to create clear goals for my teams and for myself. When these needs are met, I enjoy my work. I’m motivated to succeed.

But what motivates me doesn’t necessarily motivate the people that work for me. One of my jobs as a manager is to understand what motivates each of them. I think motivated employees produce better quality work and are more dedicated to the success of the company. If I am successful in motivating them and they are happier in their jobs as a result, that’s a win-win for both of us. So how do I discover what motivates them?

First, I give them a list of job factors and ask them to list their top six in priority order and bring it to our next one-on-one meeting. My list of job factors is at the end of this post– check it out before you continue reading.

One of the things you may notice is that the list doesn’t ask if they love their jobs. Instead, I’m trying to get to what they need out of their job and out of their career. What’s important to them? I do this because I can’t assume that I know what is important to them. Everyone has different needs in their life. I might think I know, but I’ve found I’m usually wrong. I remember meeting with one of my direct reports. I was convinced that she wanted a promotion and that was what was motivating her. After she handed me her prioritized list of job factors, I realized I couldn’t have been further from the mark. She wanted public recognition when she did something outstanding. She was also interested in a promotion but that was further down the road for her.

When they bring in the prioritized list, it enables a discussion around what they want from the job and what motivates them. If they are looking for the next rung on the ladder, a promotion, then I look for opportunities to let them stretch and operate at that level. If they are more interested in benefits, I make sure that they are satisfied with the benefits. If they aren’t, I take it to HR. Sometimes it can’t be resolved to the satisfaction of the employee but at least they know I recognized the importance to them and I took action to attempt to correct it for them. If they leave because of it, I understand.

A question I usually ask new employees is, “What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning? What makes you think: I can’t wait to do this!” I get very different responses. Can’t say that any two are alike. Here are some responses:

• “I like being challenged. I like taking on new projects.”
• “Money.”
• “I want to do my job well, and I’m looking forward to retiring in a few years.”
• “I need good healthcare benefits.”
• “Stock options. I hope we IPO!”
• “Having a manager that allows me to work independently but still is there when I need her.”
• “Having a manager that I can talk to when I need/want.”
• “I’d like to continue making progress in my career. I want to be promoted to the next level.”

I reassure people there is no “right” answer to this question but I can tell when they are editing their responses. They think they need to tell me what they think I want to hear. Things like “I love this job so much and I can’t wait to get into work in the morning!” I’d really like it if everyone felt that way but realistically, I know not everyone loves their job or loves what they are doing. If someone gives me this type of reply, I usually chuckle and say something like, “Well, for me, I really need a manager that doesn’t micro manage. I hate being micro managed! What makes you feel valued at work?” (So what do you do when they edit their response? How do you get more out of them? Chuckle and ask again?)

When I ask them this question, I find the conversation goes in interesting directions. For example, in talking with one employee, he listed benefits as the top priority for him and then achievement and success. He explained that his child had health issues and it is important to him to have good health benefits. And having clear goals and measures of success helped him to focus himself most effectively while at work. It helped him to balance work with the home stresses. I doubt that I would have had this conversation if I hadn’t started it with the Top 6 Job Factors list.

Feel free to use my list or to make one of your own. Then schedule a meeting with your employee because its time to find out what motivates them!

Directions: Mark the top 6 job factors listed below that are most motivating to you. Most motivating can be defined as the job factors that, if present in your job, would make you excited about getting up to come to work in the morning.
Job Factors	Check Top 6
Benefits – medical benefits, 401k, vacation, etc (does not refer to compensation)
Career Development – having opportunities and strategies for upward promotion, lateral career moves, and/or significant added responsibilities & authority
Achievement & Success – being coached toward “winning,” feeling motivated to succeed, having less job stress due to clear goals
Base Compensation – base salary only; does not include commissions, bonuses, stock options, etc.
Corporate Culture – the values and mission of the organization have personal meaning to you and you feel part of the team (does not define work processes or procedures)
Policy & Administration – rules and procedures that define how you have to get things done, i.e., Finance and HR policies (does not refer to work processes)
Job Fit – having work that you can do with confidence and enthusiasm – your skills and interests match the job tasks
Job Security – a job that is relatively secure (does not mean “a job for life” with the company)
Professional Growth – getting continuous training and development as well as learning on the job via new assignments and feedback
Recognition & Rewards – feeling appreciated and recognized for your work
Support – feeling in on things, supported by peers and management in both work and personal issues
Work Conditions – the physical work environment: too hot or cold, old or new, cramped or open
Commute – short vs long, public transportation available, company transportation available
Something else not specified above? Please add.