motivation Archives - Page 3 of 4

How to Fix the Sorry Side of Customer Service

Customer service is a tough job. People who work in a pure service role (as opposed to those who but also take orders, provide sales support, or do real selling themselves) spend the vast majority... Continue reading

How to Keep a New Year’s Resolution Any Time of Year

Numerous studies -- and most people’s personal experiences -- show that New Year’s resolutions generally don’t pan out. They’re typically broken within a few weeks and forgotten by March. But that doesn’t mean that you... Continue reading

How a Lack of Feedback Can Undermine Job Security

A seasoned executive was venting to me about her dissatisfaction with the work of a longtime employee. Over time, the employee seems to have succumbed to a combination of habitual carelessness and general lack of... Continue reading

Avoid the Pitfall of Indirect Authority

Isn’t it annoying when management bobbles the ball, and then can’t understand why the rest of the team is stumbling around in disarray instead of flawlessly executing plays? Performance can be compromised when a senior... Continue reading

3 Stories: “Just Get It Done” Damages Performance

It’s not enough to announce to your staff, “Just get it done!” Because either they will or they won’t. If a manager communicates performance feedback without a real understanding of how the job gets done... Continue reading

Do You Struggle with an Employee Who Can, But Won’t?

What if you’ve got a functionally competent employee whose performance is just not up to snuff? Perhaps most areas of her work are fine, and a few are outstanding, one or two crucial aspects are... Continue reading

Money Might Talk, but What Is It Saying?

Many employers are enamored of financial incentives for employees, and in fact, incentives or commissions can be extremely effective motivators because most people need more money all the time and certainly we think of money... Continue reading

Happiness Is an Input and an Outcome

One of the amazing things about happiness -- not just rose-colored-glasses pretending, wishing, and hoping everything will be all right, but actually feeling good -- is that if you persist in it long enough, others... Continue reading

Can You Be Happy at Work When You’re in Charge?

Leadership and managerial responsibility can be exciting, but being in charge can be draining, worrisome, and even frightening at times. So how can you stay on the upside to ensure successful performance for yourself and... Continue reading

All Your Feelings Come to Work with You

Early in my practice I did an operational assessment of a customer service center for a company where the turnover rate was going through the roof. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that... Continue reading

Workplace Wisdom Blog

Tag: motivation