Stephen H Baum Leadership

“How to motivate front line workers who do not want to grow?” was one of the questions on the AMA webinar. My first reaction was to ask what the supervisor had done to be sure of hiring the right people and engaging them in discussion of how they fit in the success of the company. Since then, while visiting with managers from a retail chain with stores in all kinds of neighborhoods, I reflected on the narrow focus of my reply.

The store leaders in some areas have “associates” with a great work ethic, a desire to please others and a generally happy outlook on life that has little to do with their economic status. These store leaders, with a little effort, can engage and inspire such workers to perform really well and to be proud of their store. They do well against a scorecard with dozens of measures that include store appearance and cleanliness, use of shelf space, signage, helpfulness of associates and the labor hours expended to achieve results. 

In other geographies, the store leader must deal every day with absenteeism, a poor work ethic, quick tempers, turnover and more. Yet, there is a small cadre of store leaders who are sent to such geographies just to turn around poor store performance. And they do it!! How do they do it?

When I interviewed the Chairman of Sears, Arthur Martinez, for my book, he said that his stint as a platoon leader in the U.S. Army in Germany taught him what he needed to know to run a large enterprise: ”Really connect with your people.”  Understand where they are coming from, where work fits in their lives, what they care about, what motivates them.” Learn to speak with them in ways that resonate, take an interest in their lives, earn their trust and respect (don’t assume it or think you can demand it). Then, even if they do not aspire to positions of greater responsibility (so there is no value in the reward of ascendancy), you will be able to raise the bar of individual and group performance. 

When I traveled to Sudan years ago and met entrepreneurs who owned a (car) battery factory, a flour mill, a cigarette factory, they “parented at work,” displaying a remarkable memory of each and every employee’s name and family situation and even providing to these near-subsistence level people a free breakfast on the premises to ensure their nutrition (and energy and productivity) and provide some time for socializing. The owners had provided (and continued to provide) small food packages, but the employees gave these away to their families. 

Gallup has long ago proven the value of an engaged workforce. And their survey questions indicate what matters to the front line (and beyond), including but not limited to: my immediate supervisor cares about me, I know what is expected of me, I have a friend at work, I receive frequent praise or recognition, I have an opportunity to do what I do best.

So, the key is connecting. Connecting as human beings. Then communicating by words and deeds why the desired outcome for the store yields a better situation for them. 

As always, your thoughts are invited