Just yesterday we received this e-mail from a frustrated senior executive:

“(The president of our company) has been on an absolute rampage about expenses lately & specifically complained last week that “education” on our P&L is up considerably this year.  Coaching & counseling is largely seen as a negative. I’d like to turn it somehow to a positive.”

Making The Business Case For The Resources You Need
The ability to measure the contribution of support functions is essential for many reasons.  High on the list is the ability to know when to celebrate the best efforts and direct resources to these critical components that ultimately grow the people and improve the processes that drive our operation.  Making the business case to justify resources or additional resources can be more difficult if the outcomes of your effort are distant.   This can be the case if you’re responsible for long project cycles, when the outcomes are changes in human behavior or skill development, or in the case of health care, for instance, we are talking about the emotional and qualitative well-being of a patient.

Balance Scorecards – Only The Beginning
The Balanced Scorecard methodology initially attempted to capture metrics to measure the effectiveness of those that support the operations.  The original four sections were a first attempt at broadening traditional financial metrics by adding Customer, Learning and Growth, and Internal Business Process as categories.  The second wave of Balanced Scorecard methodology focused on the linkage of the strategic parts.  This cause and effect approach gave both context and connectivity to the overall strategic plan. In addition, the more altruistic, or ‘soft’ components were added as well.

If You Can’t Measure It You Can’t Demonstrate Your Value Added
Yet the most common response to creating metrics for quality, hard to count results or long cycle R&D projects remains “You can’t measure what I do”,  “I can see how that would work in the manufacturing side but it won’t work around here”.  ‘We tried that last year, didn’t work”.

Demonstrating The Quantitative Value Of Quality
A few simple steps can guide the process of discovering quantitative metrics for quality improvement efforts.  If we consider and take ownership in the outcomes of our qualitative effort we go a long way to capturing a measure of our effectiveness.  For instance, if we develop the skills of our leaders, and they impact the motivation and skills of our rank-and-file, what will change?   The connection between people development and the resulting performance improvement can be clouded by many factors but, overtime, we must prove our efforts.  Just a few examples of comparisons include:

1. Close rate of those that completed a sales training module vs. those that did not.
2. Average annual performance review scores of those leaving the company vs. those that stay.   Obviously those staying are more likely our winners.  But taken over time, as an average, what is the trend?  Is it getting better or worse?  Why?
3. Enrollment in company benefit programs as a measure of engagement, commitment and loyalty
4. Break down retention rate by department, supervisor, job description, tenure

Demonstrating the outcomes of your effort is obvious when your outcomes are quantitative in nature.    Failing to own and communicate the results when the outcomes are more qualitative or long term is failing to make the business case for the critical contribution of your efforts.

Motivation is an internal desire and force that drives us to accomplish tasks and goals. In the ideal situation, we learn, develop skills, and grow as individuals as we move towards these goals. So, as leaders, the growth and development of employees should be a major part of the planning process as we set goals with team members. But to do it effectively a leader needs to understand what motivates each team member. When a leader is able to motivate a team member and help them feel involved, positive results will begin to unfold.

Motivation Theories

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs categorizes some of the motivating factors in people’s lives as: Psychological Needs, Safety (Security) Needs, Social Needs, Esteem Needs, and Self-Actualization. The Hygiene Motivation theory by Herzberg continues with this idea with Maslow’s first three and a half being the hygiene.

A leader should keep in mind that motivating factors will change. If leaders are in tune with the current needs of their team members, they can more effectively motivate others. It becomes a win-win relationship when the organization can meet its own goals and tasks and the motivating needs of employee.

A Motivation Study

The Hawthorne Studies conducted by Elton Mayo is an example of how a change in the environment increased productivity. The scientists were studying the effect of light on production in a factory. They thought that light was a contributing factor to productivity levels but later realized, employees were producing more results because they felt needed, not they were a part of something, and were receiving attention. What these people wanted was social need and esteem rather than light. They needed to be involved and associate with others. Isn’t it extraordinary how powerful the need for social affiliation was in this situation.

When our own team members feel motivated, encouraged and cared about by their leaders, they will feel as though they can make a difference. The results will follow.

An Eyewitness Report

As part of my work with CMOE, I was involved in a training initiative for FedEx. There was one station in particular which experienced tremendous results year after year. We spent the day diagnosing why this station was so effective. We found that its success was directly tied to the leader’s ability to motivate the team. This stations manager would arrive daily at 8:00 a.m. But before going to his office and attacking his “in-basket” he would walk through the station and talk with his team members. It wasn’t necessarily about business issues. He would ask about their family, or joke about a recent sporting event. This leader was developing his team and motivating them through regular interaction. In turn, because they were involved and felt a part of a team, they produced extraordinary results. Basic human interaction and a sincere concern from leaders can motivate and develop followers. It is simple things that lead to tremendous results.