Creating an Enterprise 2.0 Environment: The Power of CHOICE in Work Assignments
I do want to talk about Motivation today but specifically in the context of CHOICE.
To start off I'll tell a story.
Typically Saturdays are chore day at the Hodges house. As my kids are getting older I've been including them more and more in the chores to teach them how to be involved in the upkeep and running of a household as well as a good old fashioned work ethic.
How this usually goes is something like this:
Me: Kids, it's time for Saturday chores!
Kids: Awww Dad. Do we have to?
Me: Yes kids. Isaiah, you do this, this and this. Demaris, you do this and this. Elijah, you do this. (Elijah only gets one THIS as he's 4 and his primary chore is to not interfere with his older brother and sister)
The kids then proceed to half heartedly go about doing the things I've asked them to do. This involves many "Can I be done yet's?" and many "Is this good enough's?" Usually also involves some fighting, no one really helps each other and I don't get much done myself as most of my time is spent policing...
Sound like your house? Maybe it's only at my place.
ENTER A CHANGE OF STRATEGY INVOLVING THE POWER OF CHOICE!!!
As I've been reading and studying ways to motivate and grow participation and satisfaction in the workplace, I attempt many of the learnings on my unsuspecting children.
This particular Saturday everything changed.
I took a piece of paper and wrote down everything that I could think of that could be a chore suitable for 3 kids 10 years and younger. There must have been a dozen or so things on the list.
Then I gave them the ABILITY TO CHOOSE.
Instead of barking out their assignments and who would do what I simply said,
"Kids, here is the list of everything that has to get done today. When everything on the list is complete the rest of the day is yours. You three decide who is going to do each task and I'll be around if you need anything but you're in charge."
That's when the miracle happened.
Faces lit up.
Energy entered the room.
Engagement occurred.
Excitement showed up.
And WOW did chores get done.
The three huddled at the table with pens deciding who was going to do what. They divided and then proceeded to conquer the list in half the time or less compared to usual with NO prodding from me whatsoever. In fact I asked them if they wanted to slow down or take a break from their hard work and I was met with a resounding NO!.
They LOVED THAT THEY GOT TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY GOT TO WORK ON.
I know that our organizations are vastly more complex organisms with many moving parts and people and priorities YET... Why is it that we so rarely offer our hard working people the ability to CHOOSE THE WORK THEY WILL DO?
I am wrong to think that it would be a RAGING SUCCESS in the workplace just as it was in my home?
CONTROL.
That's what we give up.
CONTROL is at the very root of Enterprise 2.0 transformation; The giving up of CONTROL to be more specific.
To truly engage our people we MUST give up the desire and mechanisms of control that we have used in the past to get what we want done.
When we GIVE UP CONTROL and empower our people to make CHOICES we will be astounded at how much ownership and responsibility for our organizations success our people will take!
Be brave. Give up control. Give the blessing of CHOICE!
Works like a Charm . Give your team choices . Empower Them . WORKS
ReplyDeleteInteresting approach. Some companies that have tangible tasks may really benefit from this literal approach. Let's take a machine shop. They know exactly how many pieces are machined in any given day, week or month. Provided there is a consistent output in quality of work done, it may be smart to offer them the choice of taking Friday's off if they get "x" number of pieces machined between Monday and Thursday. As a win/win the company could even up the number that is normally done between Monday-Friday of a normal week so that both parties benefit. That's something I would offer if my employees had "tangible" work like that.
ReplyDeleteIn my business, 14 years ago I offered a free trip to any Club Med in North America (or cash equivalent) to the Caribbean if they matched 60% of the clients that I saw. 2 free trips if they matched how many clients I saw. This was a year-long contest. I realize it is a long time to stay focused, but I wasn't asking for the moon. Just good old fashioned hard work and if they saw the same amount of clients as I did (of course that doesn't include the time to run a company) they would receive one free holiday per year.
Can you guess how many trips I have paid for in 14 years? Any guesses?
NONE. :-)
DeleteOh, and by the way, the contest was for my other company; a personal training company and so the challenge was/is very tangible. ie. Clients trained daily.
ReplyDeleteI totally believe in this, added with guidance offered to employees for whom this is somewhat scary in the beginning. If you've grown used to getting assignments and being controlled on completion it may be discomforting at first to get in charge of that yourself - and I'm convinced that in the end choice is what the vast majority of employees want and appreciate.
ReplyDeleteAGREE! But taking the lid off that box scares some people A LOT at first.
DeleteI both agree and quite like this approach. Well written!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you :-)
DeleteThis really sounds interesting. The way that I am thinking prior to getting "inside" the organization. Empowering the people - giving them the choice to which they know they can apply their expertise/ and or learn as much as they can. Providing them the environment to grow and explore. Motivating.
ReplyDeleteThe only drawback to this is not the idea itself, but having the people to switch their approach and thinking. Of implementing the same to their group they lead or belong. This is further hampered if they are bounded by complicated rules and regulations instilled in the organization that prevents an environment that fosters choice and empowerment.
I think it would not be easy to have people buy in to the idea (particularly if they are so used to the authoritarian rule), but there's always a way to sway them to accepting and embracing that this is the way to move forward. I believe that the key thing for people to buy in and believe is through the realization of the immense benefits and sense of accomplishment that they will have individually and as a group working towards the common goal.
p.s. For some reason, I am unable to sign in to google and post my comments.
Beautifully said Angelo!! I wholeheartedly agree. We need to create a compelling story that draws people. That may help to create the right kind of momentum.
DeleteLooking back at my notes from Leadercast, I found this:
ReplyDelete'Choice is the only thing that enables you to go from who you are today to who you want to be tomorrow.' Sheena Iyengar
Which made me think of this post, ergo my returning to it nearly a month later.
So my thought is - maybe CHOICE is so powerful in the workplace because it fires in all directions; you allow the individual to drive toward the future they want for their self, but at the same time they are performing a function that furthers the purposes of the organization. The famous win-win?
Another line I have down from Iyengar is, "Effective leaders see choice through others' eyes" - so I'd like to gently suggest that's exactly what you've done here.
Excelent blog!
ReplyDelete