KGWorks

As Managers, Step Up and Make it Happen!

Publication 12, Issue 3

Quick and impactful ideas that don’t cost a lot of money – and provide a huge payoff!

While I was in New York a few weeks ago, I tuned into an old radio station that I love and was inspired by a song from Gloria Estefan “Get on Your Feet” – here are some of the lyrics:

You say I know it’s a waste of time
There’s no use trying
So scared that life’s gonna pass you by
Your spirit dying…

Refrain:  Get on your feet…Get up and make it happen…Get on your feet…Stand up and take some action…

While one of my dearest friends says I’m stuck in the “disco-era,” which I am – this song was released in 1989 and I remember that year was a huge transition year for me – I took some action and relocated from NY to MD to work for Marriott.  That “action” is still paying off for me!  It changed my life in so many wonderful ways, but at the time I had no idea of its impact!

I’ve always been a take charge type of person (big Organizer) – just did what had to be done – and somehow things seemed to work out.  I know everyone is motivated by different things – and “taking action” looks different to each of the Playground Personalities.

So many times I hear from my coaching clients “Kathy G., people just don’t move fast enough.” or “Unless I tell my staff what to do, they don’t take action.” or “Sally is so motivated, she takes on so much, I wished I had three or four more staffers like Sally!”  So it made me wonder, motivation comes from within, right?  And we know different people are motivated by different things, and that “energy attracts like energy” so maybe as managers we have to “stand up and make it happen” and create a culture where people want to “take some action!”

Wonder how?  Here are some quick, impactful ways, without spending a lot of money, which will create a huge pay-off!

If you are working with Peacemakers – it’s all about engaging them and the people around them!  Creating an opportunity to share information while working on a project puts the heart and soul into the work for the Peacemakers.  They will feel supported, motivated and appreciated.  If your company has a “Spirit Week” or “Community Service Day, put Peacemakers in charge, not only will they welcome the assignment, they’ll thrive and the Company will get kudos too!

Organizers will step up and take action when they think their boss has her act together!  They have little patience for bosses who appear scattered and not “buttoned up.”  So if your management style is “laissez faire” the Organizer might misinterpret that as not being “on top of things” and have difficulty taking action.  So change it up – prepare an agenda for a meeting, assign someone to take notes (preferably an Organizer) and publish the minutes, including the follow-ups – this will surely make the Organizer want to go that extra mile!

Revolutionaries climb mountains and swim streams for managers – unless they are bored!  So if you want to kill the spirit of a Revolutionary give him a checklist!  That will do it!  Revolutionaries are masters at juggling a million things – they never get rattled – the more they do – the more motivated they are.  So if your management style is too structured, you’ll lose them!  Don’t have a lot of rules; make the work “real” and “easy” to do!

Think “big” when you are engaging Steamrollers!  The details are daunting and don’t provide the “juice” they need to spring into action.  Be inspirational – talk about the “game-changing” aspect of the project, give them an opportunity to be creative and build something from their idea.  Give them the space and time to really think “out-of-the-box” and be curious about their strategies and concepts.  I know every day might not be a “ground-breaking day” but that’s what puts Steamrollers on top of their game!

So reset your management style and set the tone in your Company so the Peacemakers will feel a part of the team, the Organizers will want to get things done, the Revolutionaries will stay ahead of the issues and the Steamrollers can use their creativity and “smarts.”

It doesn’t get any simpler than that!  Good luck!

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