I mean the very first level. The supervisor in the factory. Or, the facilities guy in an office.
One very interesting thing about human motivation is that it's not the less that fosters a desire for more, more fuels more. In corporations, bonuses and higher salaries don't warrant improved productivity unless tagged with serious repercussions. Productivity is always ensured by the lurking fear.
However, this approach goes down the drain the moment we start dealing with those who have less. The kinds that corporations don't want to deal with - that unruly helper in the forger's dungeon. How do you motivate the one who has no cognizance or understanding of 'more'? How do you influence the true yogi who is living just for the day?
When I was experimenting with building a grounds-level team, for the record - I don't recommend such experiments, I had a thing for these three or four letter pithy maxims - mantras of sort - that I'd tell my guys. I am not sure that many really got 'em because then the whole thing would have definitely succeeded, which is kind of wishful and conceited, but that's irrespective. One of those that I really like till-date is the method of 3C for a relationship based management approach to manage the uncaring.
One very interesting thing about human motivation is that it's not the less that fosters a desire for more, more fuels more. In corporations, bonuses and higher salaries don't warrant improved productivity unless tagged with serious repercussions. Productivity is always ensured by the lurking fear.
However, this approach goes down the drain the moment we start dealing with those who have less. The kinds that corporations don't want to deal with - that unruly helper in the forger's dungeon. How do you motivate the one who has no cognizance or understanding of 'more'? How do you influence the true yogi who is living just for the day?
When I was experimenting with building a grounds-level team, for the record - I don't recommend such experiments, I had a thing for these three or four letter pithy maxims - mantras of sort - that I'd tell my guys. I am not sure that many really got 'em because then the whole thing would have definitely succeeded, which is kind of wishful and conceited, but that's irrespective. One of those that I really like till-date is the method of 3C for a relationship based management approach to manage the uncaring.
Communication, Consideration and Caution.
A good grounds-level manager is a master communicator. Targets are set and adhered to not by the whip but by creating an environment that removes the overwhelm of a tough ask. The Alps doesn't get crossed the Napoleon way. The air at the floor diffuses the idea of a mountain. That's the power of communication. A written notice or a verbal delivery has little meaning till the idea to be communicated is in the air - with clarity and persistence.
Since the uncaring yogis have a rather mercurial and oft unknown set of considerations, it falls on the manager to apply a due-diligence of considerations while planning. The migrant worker's wife in a late-stage pregnancy is a good sign that the trusted loader will be gone awhile, whether he asks for leave as per the policy or not. Considerations are the key to setting goals, committing output and such. And, they require a deep knowledge and understanding of the worker. Also, good caring forms an integral part of a good consideration.
Its very easy to be a considerate fool. Have complete faith in the goodness of us wonderful creatures of God, but, don't forget that its not how we are. The silly saint may be beating his chest in abject sadness over the news of his father's kidney failure for two whole days only for some peanuts of advance. Problem is that these peanuts add up and encourage monkey business, thereby ruining the culture and killing the communication. To a great extent, caution is the name of the game of a good manager of men (and women too). I believe that one of the greatest impacts of technology has been the increasing ease in exercising caution with men, women and machines. Well, animals and other things too.
