subject: 7 Tips For Gaining Greater Staff Commitment In Small-medium Business [print this page] Introduction.
Managers in small-medium business are a dedicated lot. They often work long and hard to build and grow their business. It's not surprising that they don't understand when their employees don't share their commitment. But there are specific things to do to develop employee dedication and commitment.
1. Expectation. Tell them precisely what you expect of them, individually and collectively. Make sure they're absolutely clear about the key results you're seeking: specific, measurable results ......... the day to day, month to month, and annual results that mean that the business is successful. To contribute fully, your staff must know exactly what's expected of them.
2. Involvement. Involve them in working out how they can best achieve those results. They do their jobs hour after hour; you don't. They know how best they can organise their work to get the results you want.
3. Resources. Provide all the resources and information they genuinely need to achieve the results you want. If you want someone to turn out 10 widgets a day, you must provide a reliable machine with that capacity. I don't mean "give them everything they ask for". Find out what information they need - in their terms, not yours - and provide it. But don't dump facts and figures on them because you think they're important.
4. Information. Explain how the business works; how it makes profit; what causes loss; how the different activities relate and affect each other. You might think they already know. You might be surprised. If you want them to own their roles, you have to provide something worth owning.
5. Ownership. Extend responsibility and accountability as far as you can. Encourage the development of "whole jobs", not just bits and pieces of the process. Ensure support staff feel that their contribution is highly valued. Give staff short term work outside their normal jobs to broaden their perspective. Make sure they realise where their job "fits" in the overall scheme of things.
6. Rewards. Reward them when they achieve the results you want. And reward both groups and individuals. Rewards don't have to be in cash. They can range from profit share to chocolate bars. But when "they" give you what you want, be willing to "share the spoils".
7. Freedom. Throw out of every piece of paper with a heading such as job description, position description, statement of job responsibility or any document with a similar title. As owner or manager you don't confine your role to such a straitjacket. If you want them to feel more sense of ownership, define their jobs in terms of the measurable performance you expect.
Conclusion. Nothing I've said is new ......... but it's true. To put it bluntly, there are only two reasons that your staff will ever go way beyond the "call of duty" in their jobs: to please you or to meet the standards of professionalism they've set for themselves. You can't remake them to be another you. You can help them see themselves as absolute professionals and perform accordingly.
by: Leon Noone
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