In Search of.... "Greater Productivity"

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.
www.SpeakTrain.com

This is an article that I wrote in the Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Voice on December 11th, 1982. It was written under my column, “In Search of Other Things”. The title of the article is “Greater Productivity”.


Productivity has been defined as the relationship between the physical and mental output of a person, company or nation and the input of skills, know-how, labor, capital and materials. In simple word, it is the relationship between input and output!

When we look at our periodicals today (1982), we find that the headlines reveal high levels of unemployment, sluggish economies and high numbers of high school dropouts. These problems undoubtedly lie in the sphere of low productivity.

Productivity must be seen from an individual and personal standpoint. For example, when a school is highly rated, it means that the individuals in the school produce. The class teacher produces and as a result the student produces high academic performance, good behavior and success in extra-curricular activities. The same production ration can be used with any institution, company industry or… nation.

Of course there are many factors which affect one’s productiveness. Some of these are: educational and cultural background, personal interests, aptitudes and abilities, experience, age, skill and expertise, financial conditions, physical and material resources, health, family life and the national and international environment.

Of these factors, I think that educational and cultural backgrounds play the key roles. It is during our childhood years at home and at school that we learn valuable qualities such as self-discipline, respect and good behavior. It is also at this time that we practice punctuality, effective communication, good decision-making, logical reasoning, and proper attitudes towards assignments. We also learn to adopt high performance habits.

At least, it is at this time, that we should learn these things. But the facts belie this situation. Let us examine our schools for example. The high level of absenteeism and lateness, the lack of total involvement in activities (or lack of opportunities for involvement), the low levels of discipline, the erosion of traditional standards of behavior, the large amount of dropouts, the low performance levels in school and poor achievement results at exams, and the generally unwilling attitude towards assignments (homework).

Let me hasten to add that at this time, I am not blaming anyone… yet. However, if the child does not do his homework and is not motivated to produce in school what will his work attitude be like as an adult? If at 16 (sixteen) years of age he has developed a negative outlook or even an indifferent approach to punctuality and attendance, do you think he will be a changed person 10 (ten) years later?

Although productivity must be seen from an individual view point, this does not relieve our institutions of their responsibilities. Adequate steps must be taken immediately on a national front to motivate individuals in our society to change their attitudes towards productivity. This must involve a scientific approach in education, career guidance, personal development programs and vocational training, and community development projects.

Whatever is done must have a three pronged approach: (1) Home and the family; (2) School and community; (3) Jobs or professions. Also of equal importance are styles and methods of teaching and management; incentives for increase production; more opportunities for local and other training; seminars for adult groups on topics such as personal development, parenting and developing self-help projects.

As an individual, are you satisfied with your performance at school? At work? As a spouse? As a parent? Are you satisfied that what you are putting in on the job is on par with what you are getting out? Do you think too much is asked of you for the too little reward you are given at month’s end? Does this thought affect your attitude and behavior – thereby affecting your performance and productivity?

Only you can really answer these questions. Be honest with yourself; reflect on your skills, know-how, attitudes, attendance and punctuality. Make high performance a personal issue in all spheres of your life. Do everything in your power to improve and progress, and to develop your inputs and outputs.

Remember, “As you sow, so shall thou reap!”

Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.
mpowerme@speaktrain.com
www.SpeakTrain.com

In Case of Rain

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.
www.SpeakTrain.com

Recent events in my life have served to re-emphasize to me the importance of constantly demonstrating faith and belief. I want to emphasize the action word ‘demonstrating’.

There have been many occasions when I have sought divine intervention, many instances when I have asked for celestial inspiration, and countless times when I have just plain prayed for help and assistance.

And in many of those instances when my prayers were answered I was caught unprepared and unready to take advantage of the very help that I had sought.

If this seems a somewhat philosophical, I hope the following story sheds some light and has the same effect on you that it had on me.

The fields were parched and brown from lack of rain, and the crops lay wilting from thirst. People were anxious and irritable as they searched the sky for any sign of relief. Days turned into arid weeks. No rain came.

The ministers of the local churches called for an hour of prayer on the town square the following Saturday. They requested that everyone bring an object of faith for inspiration.

At high noon on the appointed Saturday the townspeople turned out en masse, filling the square with anxious faces and hopeful hearts. The ministers were touched to see the variety of objects clutched in prayerful hands ... holy books, crosses, prayer beads and various other symbols of religious faith.

When the hour ended, as if on magical command, a soft rain began to fall steadily. Cheers swept the crowd as they held their treasured objects high in gratitude and praise. From the middle of the crowd one faith symbol seemed to overshadow all the others.

A small nine-year old child had brought an umbrella.

Are you ready for what may happen when your prayers are answered and divine intervention brings opportunity knocking at your door steps? For example, if you are seeking to be interviewed for that job of a lifetime, have you dusted off your resume, brushed up on the new jargon in your field, read the latest books and developed some new skills? Have you talked to other experts in the field and gained insights into what’s new and what’s old? And, have you practiced formulating answers to the tough questions that will likely be asked at your interview?

Are you ready for rain?

Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.
mpowerme@speaktrain.com
www.SpeakTrain.com

Do You Have “An Attitude of Gratitude”?

By Marcus M. Mottley, Ph.D.

“I am thankful to God for each story, each idea, each word… each day!” Isaac Bashevis

As I reflect on my personal journey of growth and development, I am ever mindful that I owe much to others. I stand on the shoulders of family members, teachers, friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers. Small gifts of kindness, advice or support at critical times helped to keep me journeying onwards. Such gifts are still powering the winds that help to keep me uplifted each and every day.

As I reflect on these small gifts – I know in my heart – that today would have been totally different without those gifts of yesterday, and tomorrow will be positively different from today: A tit-bit of advice that put me in sync with my internal desire to be a teacher; A one sentence comment that reframed worry into positive wonder and curiosity to take up my spiritual journey; A small envelope with less than $100 that – at the time – was a fortune because it came at the right time. That small gift was the ‘tipping’ point that helped me decide that I should “go for it”, “take the plunge”, leave home and attend college.

G. B. Stern says that, “Silent gratitude is not much help to anyone.” And, so I have been on a mission of finding all of my benefactors and thanking them for their help. Many have responded to me that they didn’t know and wasn’t aware of the impact of their assistance on me. Truth be told – I am only now coming to the fullest awareness of that myself.

And, it feels good to be sharing this with them.

What about you? Are you harboring “silent gratitude” in your heart?

According to Shakespeare, “Ingratitude is monstrous.” Several of my benefactors are persons whom I can very easily find great fault with – either for things in their public or private lives, or things they have said or done. And, sometimes I do critique them – directly and in person. Yet, I am always grateful – always publicly articulating and demonstrating my deepest appreciation for their support when I needed it. Though it might have been long in the past… theirs was a supportive and unhesitatingly given shoulder shared in the right place and at the right time.

• How are you demonstrating your gratitude for small acts of kindness?
• What are you doing to helping others in need?
• And, most importantly, what opportunities have you passed up to say, “Thank you” for a benevolent act?

Whether it happened yesterday or ten years ago, reach out with an attitude of gratitude.

“I am thankful for small mercies. I compared notes with one of my friends who expect everything of the universe, and is disappointed when anything is less than best.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Plant Seeds!

What kinds of seeds are you sowing in the fields of your mind?

‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ (Matthew, 13:31-32).

All of us sow seeds.

If you are in the garden or backyard, you can sow seeds of thorny shrubs, poisonous plants, or trees that bear life-sustaining fruits. However, some of our most important seeds are sown in the fields of our mind. When you ask questions they become like seeds. They will blossom and bear fruit. Depending on your questions, the fruits can be bitter or sweet. I believe that many of our problems occur when we sow the wrong seeds and ask the wrong questions of life. For example, we too often ask ‘why’ questions when we ought be asking ‘how’ questions. “How can I get out of this financial mess?” Rather than, “Why me?”

Plant seeds which will grow ideas, strategies, possibilities, and solutions to empower your life.

According to Dottie Walters, “Anyone can cut an apple open and count the number of seeds. But, who can look at a single seed and count the trees and apples? We cannot imagine that this small object is even alive. Yet when it is placed in the soil, a transformation process is started – one that gradually – in time, will nurture and give sustenance to humans, birds and insects.

The smallest question is also like a seed. When it is put in the fertile soil of your mind it contributes to your “tree” of knowledge – which will then produce many “fruits”. Yet when we look at the question (like the seed), we cannot see its mighty potential – a potential which lies hidden from casual observation.

Like seeds, your questions will blossom larger than life in the fields of your mind and in the acres of your life.

Caution: Be careful that you not sowing seeds of thorn trees, poisonous plants or parasitic vines in your mind! Ensure that you are sowing seeds of empowerment, creative, positive possibilities and success.

By asking the right questions in the right ways, you will be transformed beyond anything currently visible or even imaginable.

(From Ask, Seek, Knock! by Marcus Mottley, Ph.D.)

Make Yourself Unforgettable

You may be good. You may even be great. But are you UNFORGETTABLE?

Whether you’re competing for a candidate, a contract, a client, a job, or anything else of value, there’s nothing more critical to your success than your ability to stand out as a uniquely qualified, valuable, appealing individual — someone whom other people really want to work with, work for, know, and help.

It used to be that a top-notch education, exceptional talent, and a positive attitude were enough to distinguish a person as truly exceptional. If you had all three, you were pretty much guaranteed an open road to wealth and achievement.

But what is it that will make you stand out today, when everyone seems to be offering those advantages?

The surprising answer can be found in this brief true story:

Ted drove a truck for a small family-owned manufacturing company, and his wife was about to have a baby. Complications arose during the delivery that resulted in a $20,000 hospital bill. His wife and baby were healthy, but Ted had a major financial crisis on his hands: Fine print in his insurance coverage seemed to indicate that the bill would not be covered.

As Ted had no means of paying the bill out of pocket, he went to see Warren, the owner of his company, in the hopes that he might be able to intercede with the insurer. Warren listened to Ted’s problem and promised to call the insurance company himself to find out why Ted’s expenses weren’t covered, and what could be done about it. A few days later, Warren let Ted know that he had spoken with the insurance company and cleared up the confusion. The hospital expenses would be fully covered, and Ted wouldn’t be receiving any more bills.

Ted thanked Warren profusely for his help and never forgot the way his boss went to bat for him. It wasn’t until Warren’s funeral, years later, that Ted learned the truth. The insurance company hadn’t agreed to cover Ted’s bill. So Warren had paid it himself.
Now, Warren could have dealt with this situation in any number of ways that would have marked him as a good boss. What he did do elevated him to an entirely different stature.

There’s only one way to describe a person like Warren. He was a CLASS ACT.

Class acts are the kind of people who make tough challenges seem easy and big problems seem small. They stay cool, calm, and collected, no matter what the circumstance. They get the job done extremely well, but they do so without arrogance, braggadocio, or any need for praise and recognition (although they always get it!).
Class acts can be counted on to play the game of life at the highest levels … and inspire everyone around them to do the same. They feel good about themselves … and they make other people feel good about themselves as well. Class acts are able to lift themselves up … without ever tearing anyone else down.

In turn, class acts receive the respect and admiration of virtually everyone they meet. People want to be associated with them. People bend over backwards to help them. People leap to their defense. People line up to spend time with them and part ways with them feeling positive and energized.

Educated, talented, motivated people are a dime a dozen these days. But class acts? They’re a rare breed. You can spot them right away. And you never forget them.

Which is why if someone identifies YOU as a class act, you will have a tremendous advantage over everyone else you’re competing with — even people whose other, more concrete, qualifications and experience may surpass yours!


From Dale Carnengie: Class Act System

Why Good Employees Leave

by Louise Kursmark, Monster Contributing Writer

Rather than finding yourself in a serious staffing shortage a few months or years down the road, take the time now to address retention issues at your company.
In any employment market, good companies want to keep their best people. But when labor becomes scarce, as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects it will for the next decade or so, employee retention becomes an increasingly critical priority.

What, then, can companies do to retain the people they worked so hard to recruit? From an informal survey I conducted of more than 100 executives recently in a career transition, several important facts emerge.

Compensation

The Issue: While just 31 percent of respondents indicated making more money was their primary reason for job hunting, it's evident that paying competitive salaries is an important retention tool.

What You Can Do:

1. Use industry surveys and other data tools to stay informed on wage trends.


2. To benefit both company and employees, tie increased pay to meeting specific goals aligned with business objectives.


3. Collect data from exit interviews to document trends from your departing employees, then use this data to make a business case for increasing salaries across the board.


4. Survey employees to find out what perks, benefits and forms of compensation other than money will help keep them on board.

Management and Retention

The Issue: In the survey, comments about poor management abounded. For 29 percent, the fact that they "did not like, respect or get along with their manager" was a significant factor in their decision to leave.

According to Irving Stackpole, president of healthcare consulting firm Stackpole & Associates, "It's absolutely clear that the reason people stay in jobs are the relationships that they have -- primarily with their supervisor." And when those relationships are strained, many people leave.

What You Can Do:

1. Improve managers' leadership, communication and interpersonal skills through coaching, training and feedback. Rate these key skills in their evaluations, and tie compensation to performance.


2. Create a safe environment and process for employees to bring up concerns with their managers. Address problems quickly.

Communication

The Issue: When asked what advice they would give management to keep talented staff on board, survey respondents repeatedly mentioned better communication of company goals, performance expectations and value/appreciation of staff work.

What You Can Do: Consider this sampling of ideas from the survey, and compare how your own company and its managers operate:

1. Provide clear vision, strong and consistent communication, teamwork and respect for workers' efforts.


2. Share the company vision/mission clearly and regularly.


3. Collaborate, communicate and listen. Happy employees accomplish amazing things.

Case Study: Why One Good Employee Left

For one senior executive, the decision to leave his job came down to listening and respect. After leading a successful turnaround of his division, he was excited to learn that the board of directors was launching a CEO search to replace the departing top executive. Because of his knowledge of the company and undisputed successes leading one of its most challenging divisions, he felt he was a strong candidate.

After drafting a resume and cover letter that put forth his vision of the key challenges and growth opportunities facing the organization, he assembled a strong list of references and alerted each to expect a call from a board member. He sent in his package with confidence that he would be able to expand on his ideas during an interview.

A few months later, he is actively searching outside the organization. His interview turned out to be a 20-minute meeting with a board member who clearly hadn't read his documents or contacted any references. "I felt disrespected," the worker says. "It's not that I thought I was a shoo-in for the job, but I expected to be given a fair shot."

Thus, the company will lose a top performer, because an executive didn't take the time or extend the courtesy to listen.

Be Proactive

Rather than finding yourself in a serious staffing shortage a few months or years down the road, take the time now to address retention issues at your company. You can create strategies to improve your company's ability to carefully preserve and develop its most valuable asset: Its people.

This article originally appeared on Monster.com. Copyright 2006 Monster.com

Mediocre Managers

The High Price Companies Pay for Mediocre Managers

Weak management can wreak havoc in even the best organization and send the most talented employees running for the exits, say the authors of First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently.

The smartest executives know that the most competitive market they operate in each day is not the market for their product; it is the market for the best employees for their company. In a global economy that continues to race along as if fueled by an unending supply of double cappuccinos, companies are finding it more and more difficult to attract and retain talented employees. Human resources executives and consultants search for ever more generous pay packages to hold on to the best workers at every level.

In their bestseller, First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the Gallup organization conclude that focusing on pay and perquisites is misguided. A company can offer employees generous compensation, benefits, and wonderful perks such as health clubs and daycare centers, and still lose their best workers. What many otherwise excellent companies miss, according to the authors, is that one mediocre manager can wreak havoc in even the best organization and send the most talented employees running for the exits.

The two researchers gathered information from more than 80,000 managers in more than 400 companies. They found that the single biggest stumbling block to corporate success is bad management in a company's middle levels. Buckingham and Coffman don't dither: "The manager was the critical player in building a strong workplace." Their findings fly in the face of the long-accepted nostrum that as long as a company has a strong leader at the top, creates an attractive corporate campus, complete with a health club and concierge, and provides generous pay and benefits, it will have no trouble attracting, motivating, and retaining talented employees. Wrong, say the Gallup duo. Employees want excellent management at every level.

Companies, according to the authors, have overlooked the "manager" issue. Senior managers in companies are guilty of the same omission: They have failed to train staff to be effective managers, and they have failed to supervise managers' performance effectively. Companies are awash in information, performance metrics, and statistical analyses of products and markets. But, asks the duo, what is top management doing to capture information about the effectiveness of their managers and the impact the managers are having on their direct reports? Far too little, they conclude.

Buckingham and Coffman observe that each manager creates a culture within his or her department. The end result is that a company has as many cultures as it has managers. That culture may be positive and strong or it may be destructive and at odds with the culture top management is trying to create. Companies need to recognize the fact that each company is a collection of cultures. One significant benefit of this finding, the authors stress, is that the company does not have to go outside the organization for best practice assessment. They've got best practice somewhere within their own organization. They just need to find it and then learn from it.

The best manager will focus on helping his or her workers answer the following key questions with vigorous affirmation:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone else at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

These are fundamental questions, but the authors argue that too many businesses miss the mark because they stray from the fundamentals. They aim too high and forget about building a strong foundation. Executives tend to run past the basics as they stampede to the latest book, the newest theory, or the hottest guru.

Buckingham and Coffman found that the best managers work each day to create heroes in every role. These managers level the playing field and help each employee discover how best to grow within the organization. Outstanding managers are adept at "holding up the mirror" when they give performance feedback. They meet with their direct reports on average once a quarter to talk not only about the quarter just ended, but more important, to set new goals and objectives for the next quarter. The focus of these meetings is on the future. The great manager sees herself or himself in partnership with each worker.

This does not mean that great managers are soft. Indeed, they are firm believers in tough love. Employees who do not excel don't last long. Great managers believe in excellence and create an environment in which anything short of excellence is not tolerated for long. But the key distinction between great managers and others is that great managers understand that employees who underperform do not do so because they are stupid, inept, or uncooperative. Rather, the manager realizes that the person has been miscast and put in a position where his or her strengths do not match the skills needed to excel.

Buckingham and Coffman conclude that exceptional managers want to set up their employees for success. They want to help employees become more of who they already are. They want to treat each employee with dignity and respect. They recognize that they cannot change a person's nature or characteristics; they can only facilitate. Great managers focus on the basics, which, as the authors point out with no small degree of distress, flies in the face of conventional wisdom. The first step, therefore, to developing great managers within a company is, as the title of this insightful book tells us, to "break all the rules."

Copyright © 2000 the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.