Ken Matejka
American business school professor and expert in employee motivation (pictured right).
Key book
Why This Horse Won’t Drink
(1991)
Effective managers:
- see other people’s point of view.
- acknowledge people's uniqueness as individuals.
- never lose their humanity.
Managers can achieve better employee performance in five
steps:
1. Contradictions
Correcting obstacles to employee performance like:
- poor learning and ineffective communication.
- autocratic and macho management.
- inadequate employee involvement in decision making.
- employees’ selfish greed.
2. Consequences
Giving employees:
- rewards linked to effort (e.g. money and job satisfaction).
- punishment (or the threat of it).
3. Contacts
Creating mutual trust and agreement through:
4. Contraries
Managers assessing:
- their own strengths and weaknesses
- the behaviour of difficult, under-performing employees.
Managers should be persuaded to change through
- empathy and understanding.
If managers don't change, they will have to be disciplined.
5. Commitments
Putting the creators of employee commitment into action:
- involvement in decision making (e.g. delegation).
- empowerment (via respect, responsibility, rewards and information).
- commitment to the organization’s vision and strategy.
Treating employees well is vital because they “treat customers the way they get treated”.
Key quote on
management
It’s great therapy for the troops to see their manager as a human being.
Key quote on
motivation
Life isn’t always fair, but this doesn’t stop us from expecting it to be.
Key quote on
empowerment
Power corrupts. At least that’s what people without power say.
Key quote on
unions
Employees don’t vote for a union, they vote against management.
|