How can I push my good employees to higher productivity?

 Be careful. Productivity vs Stress is an inverted U shape. Low stress = low productivity. Moderate or “eustress” = high productivity. High stress = low productivity.

Second, “level one” techniques (see my website at Level Three Leadership ) that is rewards and punishments can get limited or even negative energy. See the Buy-In Scale below.

“Level Two” techniques—logic, data, science, evidence—are also less motivating than “Level Three” techniques.

L3 techniques are based on alignment of purpose and vision and VABEs. Consider the energy that non-profit organizations get. NO pay yet people will often give everything they have for causes they believe in.

Effective executives IME can clarify and articulate a robust “charter.” What’s the purpose of your organization? If the answer is to make the managers and investors rich, that’s not a motivating mission/purpose for employees—unless they are joint share holders (as e.g. Starbucks).

An inspiring mission statement is one simple sentence: “we protect those who protect us” or “we make education affordable for everyone” or “Keep Virginia Moving.” Even a sewer pipe company COULD define their business as “we protect the public from water-born diseases.” Most executives ignore the power of a clear charter.

The Vision statement includes a clear picture of our financial, marketing, HR, environmental etc. future describing in detail what it will/should look like 10, 20, 30, 250 years out (e.g. Konosuke Matsushita at Panasonic Electronics).

VABEs. What do we stand for? What won’t we do? Will we protect the Commons or abuse it? (air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and the underprivileged) I encourage you to examine carefully your own VABEs about what it means to be a manager/executive and how that might affect the energy level of your people.

I have a new, my first ever, supervisory position. How can I be an effective supervisor/manager?

 I don’t know what your current job is. Effective managers IMO IME

1. Care about the well-being of their subordinates.
2. Negotiate reasonable goals and objectives with their people rather than dictating what should be done.
3. Realize that leading requires letting go of the VABE “if you want it done right, do it yourself” and acquiring the VABE “my job is to support Experts so they can work together to meet our goals.” This implies a different set of skills.
4. Learn the “language of leadership:” lose your “but’s”, don’t disguise your opinions as questions, don’t discount yourself, don’t present your opinions as facts.
5. Can clarify the mission of the organization in one inspiring sentence: “we protect those who protect us” (Defense) “we make education affordable for everyone” (Sallie Mae) “Keep Virginia Moving” (VDOT)
6. In fact, develop and clarify a complete charter: mission, vision, values (VABEs), strategies, and short-term measures.
7. Look at their boss’s job and problems and strive to solve those before they get out of hand. WHAT does your boss want?
8. Learn and understand the HR policies so you can accurately advise your subordinates.
9. Make honest and careful assessments of subordinates’ work so you can advise them in a timely and non-threatening manner.
10. Pitch in and help out when needed.
11. Be trustworthy: Four things: Tell the Truth, be consistent, be competent and care about your people.
12. Don’t ask people to do things you wouldn’t do. If you need overtime, you be there, too.
13. Explain, expect and ensure top quality performance. “You teach what you tolerate.”
14. Learn as much as you can about the company’s charter. Be able to articulate it to your people. If upper management hasn’t done one, (all too common) make on paper what you think it should be. Thus prepared, you’ll be ready for the next step.
15. Strive to be successful at every chance you get: Be ahead of schedule, under budget, and well within specifications. Report this in timely fashion. Bosses hate surprises. Repeat: Bosses hate surprises.
16. Always do your best. Never slip into tolerating “good enough” or “average.”
17. Meet with your team regularly—monthly? To discuss what’s going well and what needs to be done better. EARS open in between as you walk around and talk with people for potential issues.
    
    See my website for more:  www.nadobimakoba.com    

Does perfectionism enhance performance?

IME there is. Perfectionism is IMO obsessive and perhaps the result of a bit of OCD. I have a mild case and the way it pushed me to do my best, to try to be the best I can be in everything I did certainly increased my performance in school, in athletics, in writing, in everything.

That said, perfectionism can also be destructive in that if one obsesses too much with getting “it” (whatever it is) right, one might not complete assignments and become paralyzed by not being able to achieve perfection. The pursuit of perfection with a healthy dose of pragmatism would be a good mix. That is NOT “in search of good enough” which is where a lot, the vast majority?, are. Perfectionism IME goes beyond good enough to wanting to be the best. To get 100%’s on exams, to get universally positive feedback, to get 100% positive reviews, etc. That seldom happens. Perfectionism can drive one crazy if not tempered with some pragmatism of what’s possible and what’s salable to others.

But the desire to do better, to do something “perfectly” does indeed enhance performance. I lived in Japan for about four years and observed this in Japanese culture. Artists and writers who wanted to capture something perfectly—but then inserted a little error intentionally realizing that perfection was unattainable and to presume such was arrogantly misguided. The tea ceremony, the way a geisha closes a shoji door, the way one wears kimono, and much more are examples of seeking to do things “perfectly” in normal, everyday life. It’s a feature of Japanese culture that appealed to me deeply.

My mother contributed to this in me. Her VABEs included “do it right the first time,” “use it up, wear it out, fix it up or do without,” “clean as you go,” and more. If I was sloppy about making the bed or sweeping out the garage, she’d have me do it again. I learned early on, on top of my (then unknown) mild OCD, to do things to the best of my ability everytime. That’s a habit that has served me well. See my website at Level Three Leadership for more background under my professional background—if you wish.