How often have you gone way back in your career to find an example of success in order to explain the obvious to business owners about effective employee motivation strategies.  Employee motivation, performance, productivity, alignment, and communication are huge topics in change management and business consulting circles.  And the solutions are relatively straight-forward and simple.  Here are seven that I have used effectively in my career as a chief executive and manager.

Remember CETA, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act organization of the late 1970's and early 1980's?  As a newly hired Manpower Planner, part of my job entailed increasing our agency placement rate for the 13 towns we supported.  Our placement rate was really or benchmark measure for success, we found jobs for 1 out of 10 people we serviced.  Not very good, but a start. 

What to do?

Set a Goal.  Mine was a 40% placement rate for my first full year.  Challenge - I was the Planner, not the implementer, there were 45 other staff members - job developers, career counselors, intake counselors, and occupational trainers.  However, I set this as my internal goal (I did not tell anyone at first).

Talk to Other Staff.  Really, that's what I did.  I asked them about the following - what is your family background, your educational background.  What are your career goals?  Why did you decide you wanted to work here?  What would you like to accomplish while you are here?  Are there any suggestions you would make if you had the ability to improve the way you did your particular job? Are there any suggestions you would make if you had the ability to improve the way other staff did their particular job?

Out of this simple process came volumes of information - most of it useful and relevant.  This information enabled me to recommend a transformation in the way we identified, recruited, trained, counseled, and found permanent jobs for unemployed persons in our region.  And all I did was ask relevant questions and listen to my co-workers.  Yes, I performed a ton of follow-on labor market research, conducted numerous follow-on interviews with other staff, and sought and received the approval of the agency director.  But, I communicated with my co-workers.

Communicate the Goal.  In CETA the work program was contained in a manpower plan.  Ours was presented to my director and fellow department managers at a department manager meeting.  The director asked all other managers if the 40% goal was realistic and achievable.  All said yes, and all said they were willing to work to achieve it.  (I don't think the director believed either me or my peers, but that is a post for another day). 

Seek Approval.  The director and our city manager needed to approve the plan, and then the state manpower office needed to approve it.  All 3 parties approved it. 

Implement the Plan.  It was not my plan, it was the plan developed from hours of conversations with my co-workers.  They developed it, put it together.  And, with my strong assistance, encouragement, and support, they implemented it. 

Measure the Results.  We compiled and measured monthly, quarterly, and annual performance data.  In each month we showed improvements, and, based on the results, fine-tuned areas of need, together. 

Celebrate the Results.  After that first year, our placement rate was 42%.  We hit our goals.  For the next year, we increased the goal to 45%, and achieved it.  We all celebrated our accomplishments.  We did it together, as a team.  We continued to increase our placement rate in each of the following years.

So there you have it - set a goal, communicate and build alignment, communicate the goal, seek approval, implement, measure, and celebrate your achievements.  We had fun, worked hard, and achieved our objectives.  Yes, this process is repeatable.  I am interested in learning how you do this in your business.  Please let me know.