The Rising Cost of Deflation

Several times in the past few weeks I've heard stories from people who had been part of self-motivated teams that took it upon themselves to do great things and induce change in their company, only to have the wind taken out of their sails by management.

Instead of letting people run with good ideas and try new things, management decides to take over, often starting from scratch, and telling people how they should do things. This is the epitomy of poor management. It hurts morale, breeds apathy, and generates wasted rework. Worse yet, it undermines accountability.

I'll repeat one of my favorite statements from General George S. Patton:

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they'll surprise you with their ingenuity."

Bottom line for managers. Engagement matters. If people show initiative, get out of the way.

Project Team Motivators: Pay 4 Performance Bonus

Looking for ways to motivate your team through financial compensation? Performane bonus may do the trick, according to research results. ...

... "However, if the same money was applied to pay-for-performance bonuses, the analysis suggests a performance increase of better than 15 percent. Indeed, the results suggest that providing a strong pay-for-performance link for bonuses rather than raises had the greatest potential benefit ... " ...

Via Cornell Hotel School: Compensation Study: Performance Impact