Uncategorized | Behavior Matters! - Part 23

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The Story vs. The Analyst: How good communication gets ruined!

The largest part of our business is developing communications for sales incentive plans.  We create presentations, develop plan books, and design flash and other forms of communication. We got into this work by accident (one client many years ago asked us to create a “meeting in a box” for his IC plan – the rest, as they say, is history), but now we embrace it and have carved out a niche.  That niche is taking highly analytical and dry plan data and making it more interesting, more engaging, and more motivating for the sales representative.  Over the past 10 years we have done just this for thousands of plans and hundreds of thousands of participants.

We strive to tell a visual and emotive story with our work.  We work hard at capturing the vital information that is important to a sales person and making that information understandable and engaging.  I like to think we do a good job – when our clients allow us to.  You see, telling a story about incentive compensation and creating captivating visuals to convey that information isn’t easy.  It requires that we make choices about what information we share.  It means that we may have to simplify the message.  It may mean changing how we present and what types of communication that we use.  This, for some clients, is easier said than done.

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The Power of Communication – best “save the date” announcement ever

Ok, this is too funny. I think it is real, but even if it isn’t, it is good. Shows you the power of being creative, using different types of media, and having good production…this is what every incentive compensation plan communications needs but rarely gets. Think of the power of this video being about your compensation plan and being introduced to your sales force at your next National Meeting…WOW!  Motivation is about more than just the reward – it is about how we communicate, how we actively engage, how we convey the message and get people to not only notice, but care…and maybe even have a little bit of fun!

One Year Birthday

Alright, probably not as significant as a child’s one year birthday or other one year anniversary’s – but hey, we’ve been doing this now for one year (as of tomorrow)!   In looking back I have to say I’m pretty happy with what we’ve done.  By no means are we a top blog but we’ve done OK for a couple of people putting up random thoughts and insights on motivation.  Here are some stats:

  • 117 posts by us
  • 155 comments on those posts
  • Over 7,438 views
  • Average daily views is now almost 30
  • Most viewed post: Four Drive Model: New Theory on Employee Motivation (by the way, this was our first post – which I’ve just updated)

We are looking forward to the next year and all that we can do!  Let us know what you would like to see in the coming months and if you have any favorites from our past.

Sales Motivation using the 4-Drive Model

Salespeople who are engaged in their roles, who are motivated to succeed, and who’s goals are aligned with the organizational goals have been shown to have a significant impact on helping an organization succeed (Badovick, Hadaway, & Kaminski, 1992). Successful organizations understand this and try to keep their sales employees motivated and engaged through a variety of motivational methods – mostly involving extrinsic rewards.

While much has been much written about how extrinsic rewards may have a detrimental effect of on a sales person’s intrinsic motivation (Deci & Ryan, Kohn, or Pink – note: there is also a lot of research on how this extrinsic/intrinsic effect can be mitigated) there is little disagreement on the short-term impact that extrinsic rewards can have on a company’s performance . The short-term benefit of extrinsic rewards assures us that these rewards will be used in businesses no matter what Dan Pink has to say on the topic.   However, this does not mean that these types of programs can’t be improved.

Successful organizations and leaders of the future not only need to focus on the optimization of extrinsic reward programs but also on moving other levers within the organization that can drive sales motivation.  Using the Four-Drive Model of Employee Motivation (Lawrence and Nohria, 2002) provides a clear framework for how to do this.

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Refresh

It seems as though in this day and age, everyone is busy – and I mean busy.   We go from project to the next or possibly have them going on at the same time.   The need to get things done faster, with less resources, and with higher impact is making us feel like there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week.  We are becoming a nation that is stressed out and on the edge of burnout.   I know that I am.

What is necessary is to be able to take some time to slow down and relax.  To refresh…

Of course that is harder than it appears.  We are no longer able to take a day off and play golf or go to the cabin without still being hooked in.  Our cell phones and laptops, while wonderful tools, keep us plugged in no matter were we go.  We cannot escape the e-mail or phone call  that requires our attention NOW!!  Even if we do escape to some backwater place where we don’t get cell phone coverage or there is no wi-fi, we often have the stress of multiple projects and deadlines looming over us that keep us up at night.  None of this is good or healthy.

So what do we do?  How can we refresh ourselves?’

What we need is some serious down time.  Some time for ourselves to let our minds and body’s calm down and rejuvenate.  This is not a vacation (vacations often only add in more stress and pressure).  This is a time to slow down and allow ourselves an opportunity to vegetate.  To feel like we did in Junior High over the summer when the most pressure we had was to make sure we got home in time for dinner.  It is time that many people might call “wasted” time because it is unproductive – but I feel that it is time that is needed to repair and invigorate so that we can be productive.

I can attest that this isn’t easy and that I’ve never actually fully achieved it – but I’m going to try.  Here is my plan…

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Micromanage – a short how to guide

Just too funny!  Great link to see a short video on how you too can become a great micro-manager…

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9btr8_how-to-micromanage-like-a-real-ass_school

Buying Local Fulfills the Drive to Bond & Belong

A couple of weeks ago a day of celebration occurred at my house,  it was my Birthday which actually goes for more than one day it turns into a week of celebrating with friends and family. 

As I went about celebrating my Birthday, I enjoyed my FREE Birthday gifts from a couple of businesses.  The search for the FREE Birthday gift has become somewhat of a tradition and badge of honor to see what you can ‘rake’ in for FREE on your Birthday amongst my family members.   I have no problem walking into a place of business and proclaiming that ‘today is my Birthday’ which implies that I would like to be treated extra special during my visit.  A few of you may completely understand this line of behavior while others are probably thinking wow she is really off her rocker.  Regardless of what line of thought you align with the fact remains that I have high expectations for my business interactions on my Birthday. 

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The Laws of Motivation

Richard Denny has a great slideshare on what he sees as the Laws of Motivation…some interesting stuff here and I agree with most of it.  Take a look.

http://www.slideshare.net/abhishekshah/laws-of-motivation

However I do have some comments on these “Laws”…

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3 tips to increase the Drive to Bond & Belong

The 4-Drive Model of Employee Motivation’s second drive is the drive to Bond & Belong.  The drive is defined by our innate desire to form “close, positive relationships” with people around us.  The image of the lone wolf going it alone or the inventor holed up in his workshop are atypical – most people want to bond with others and feel they belong to a group.  Here are three tips to increase the B Drive: 

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4-Drives: A simple story about how one manager got motivation right!

This was our most viewed slideshare presentation with over 14,000 views – I’ve now turned it into a 4-minute youtube video….with music and everything.  Hope you enjoy and please forward on to anyone you think would benefit from watching.

Page 23 of 34

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