Document Detail


How to motivate your problem people.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12545923     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Managers who motivate with incentives and the power of their vision and passion succeed only in energizing employees who want to be motivated. So how do you motivate intractable employees--the ones who never do what you want and also take up all your time? According to Nigel Nicholson, you can't: Individuals must motivated themselves. Nicholson advocates a method that turns conventional approaches to motivation upside down. Instead of pushing solutions on problem employees, the manager should pull solutions out of them by creating circumstances in which the employees can channel their motivation toward achievable goals. That means addressing any obstacles-possibly even the manager's own demotivating style--that might be hindering the employees. The author's method demands that a manager take charge of a difficult situation and resolve it. An investment of time is required, but it will bring the manager to a resolution sooner than other means would. Using detailed examples, Nicholson walks the reader through his method, pointing out potential pitfalls along the way. First, the manager creates a rich picture of the problem person. Second, the manager exercises flexibility and reframes goals so that the employee can meet them. Third, in a carefully staged, face-to-face conversation, the manager meets with the problem employee on neutral ground. Whether a problem is solved or simply resolved, the payoffs from using this method extend beyond the specific employees who have been difficult to motivate. Besides increasing a manager's chances of motivation problem people, the method can inspire an entire team by signaling that the organization deals with difficult people rather than discarding them.
Authors:
Nigel Nicholson
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Harvard business review     Volume:  81     ISSN:  0017-8012     ISO Abbreviation:  Harv Bus Rev     Publication Date:  2003 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-01-27     Completed Date:  2003-03-04     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9875796     Medline TA:  Harv Bus Rev     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  56-65     Citation Subset:  H    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Employment / psychology*
Humans
Motivation*
Personnel Management / methods*
Problem Solving*
United States

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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