This is a mouse pad found in a supervisor’s office.  What message is it sending?  In today’s economic conditions smart companies should be praising, motivating and training the employees they haven’t laid off.  Not threatening them and managing by fear.  Fear and threats are counter productive to your success.

Here are a few examples of poor management that damages morale  and productivity and scare away the success you are working for.

Getting the whip out and telling employees if they don’t increase sales, take more calls, produce more product they’ll be punished until they improve.  Once person described the situation as, “the floggings will continue until morale improves.”

Focusing on mistakes and poor customer comments and not praising and thanking employees for positive comments.  An employee I know said that if they receive a complaint or negative customer comment they are immediately punished and threatened to improve or get out.  He explained, in contrast positive customer comments are not acknowleged quickly or even at all some times. He was in a group of peers when another employee told the boss about a good letter he received.  The boss took it lightly and didn’t give him the praise he deserved.  They employee felt bad the rest of the day, didn’t work at his peak level and will remember this incident for the rest of his career.  As the boss was beginning to leave, another employee said that she had received 3 complimentary letters in the passed two weeks.  How did the boss respond?  He said, “that’s great” and turned and walked away!

At another company a memo was sent to employees saying recent results have shown a continuous positive trend in sales and employee performance.  You’d think that would be a good thing, right?  Well, it goes on to say that because employees performance is improving and business is improving, the company is going to raise the goals and targets for satisfactory performance and possible bonuses.  So, in other words, employees, you’re doing good now, so we’ll raise your goals to make it harder to reach them.  Does that make sense?

Are these good ways to praise employees and motivate them to work hard and be loyal to the company.  Will these actions help the company meet their goals and be successful?  Will they encourage employees to stay with the company?  Will employees want to recommend the company to their friends as a good, fun, great place to work?

The www.nielsongroup.com which “coaches organizations for breakthrough performance” explains fear motivation below.  I’ve underlined key words.

“There are three types of motivation. The first is FEAR MOTIVATION, a “do it or else we can replace you” approach. This motivation in negotiating is basically the “take it or leave it” approach. Fear motivation is the easiest form of motivation; however, it is a motivation based on intimidation. The person in power is unable to effectively create a climate for other types of beneficial motivation. The person in power resorts to fear tactics for motivation. “Take it or leave it” often gets results because the person will do what you ask for fear of loss. Fear motivation always results in inner anger and resentment against the person using the fear tactics. Sometimes the threat of loss or punishment for motivation must be used, but should only be used when all other methods have failed. Fear motivation is the lowest form of motivation and usually results in “when the cat is away, the mice will play.”  (taken from http://www.nielsongroup.com/articles/articles_climateformotivation.shtml). The other types of motivation are Incentive Motivation and Casual Motivation which take a much more positive approach and are much more successful.

So, ask yourself, what kind of motivation are you using with your group, family, kids, employees and those who look to you for leadership?  Is your approached working well, giving the results you want?  How do these people look at you, do they want to help you be a success, or is every encounter a struggle.

Are you proud of the type of person you are and the way you treat others?

And most of all, would you want to work for YOU?