This question is being asked of more and more Baby Boomers by Gen-Xers and Millenials and often getting the same blank stare response. Looking at the values of a Baby Boomer manager, the primary motivator in private industry is....make money! I don't think there is anything wrong with making money. In fact, it is the backbone of success in being able to provide the products and services that each of us offers. However, when you look at the amount of money a CEO makes compared to an average employee, it is startling. CEO's make around 400 times more money than the average employee. While I do think that CEO's deserve significantly more money than the average employee, I also realize that telling that average employee to go make me more money, while they know that it will not go to them, but to me, is degrading. It is our nature to be motivated by the things that will positively influence our own future.
Many of today's managers have not worked at building relationships with their employees. They are too busy running the company to actually be a part of the company. The vision that we have for the company has to answer a basic question in the psyche of each person. "Why am I here?" In our search for purpose, it is natural for us to realize that we are spending a great deal of time working and need to understand what it will mean at the end of our lives. The vision of "make more money than last year" does not work for younger employees. The 3rd Millenials believe in their civic duty and therefore believe that companies have a responsibility to do something great.
Google is a great example of a company who has gotten that concept. They spend money reducing pollution, reward employees for their efforts to save gas with hybrids, and build an environment that is "fun" to be in. Google is a company who seems to have the vision to "answer questions." They rally their teams together with the idea that they can solve some of life's most complicated questions if they just work together.
What is it that your organization demonstrates? Is your rallying cry - MAKE MONEY!? Or, do you have a higher purpose. I have thought long and hard about what MuRF is really all about. I have looked at where and how we spend our time. Our vision is to equip. We want to equip HR directors with the right information before they make a hiring decision, equip top executives with the right knowledge before they make a promotional decision, equip leaders and managers with the right skill sets so that they manage is a way that makes the work engaging and gives people purpose.
People ask about the vision of a company because they want to know what they are supposed to stand for. They want to know that where they are investing their time is going to pay off for them. Without a compelling vision, your company is just another provider of products and services. Without a vision, our employees will fall into the category of disengaged and will not rally in a unified direction. Take 20 minutes today to decide what it is that you and your company are really all about. Then, measure your progress along the way with opinion surveys, town hall meetings, and sit-downs.
You will be amazed at the increased productivity of your people when they can answer the "why" part of their job.
Good Luck,
Jody Holland
MuRF Systems
www.murfsystems.com
