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PSYCHOLOGY
How people react is itself a complete
science. We will only touch on the subject with few points which are of special importance
for your work as a manager.
Motivation
All of us have reasons for doing what we do. The reason is called motive One of the
psychologists who has looked into peoples motivation is Maslow.
Maslow sees our motives in a hierarchy or a staircase of needs of
different importance. Your basic motives are to satisfy needs as hunger and thirst. Only
when these more basic needs are satisfied the person should be motivated to satisfy needs
of a higher rank, i.e. security, social contacts and self esteem.
Self esteem through work (doing) should be the most sophisticated or
highest form of motivation. We find it among the peak performers (D4).
Imagine a good worker who suddenly has problems with his wife or his
girlfriend. His motivation will immediately concentrate on this more basic need, rather
than on his work. Consequently, simple factors as hunger or thirst can cause drastic drops
in the motivation and performance of a worker.
The corresponding advice is that you must try to be sensible to what
your people have in their minds. Whether it is your task to interfere or not, it might be
difficult to judge, especially if the matter is "none of your concern". A
personal relation to your people, will however make the situation easier, if they feel you
are a friend as well as a boss.
Strokes
Strokes are any kind of attention you may get from or give to another person. There are
positive strokes and there are negative strokes. And there can be absence of strokes.
Positive strokes are good news, things you like to hear or receive,
while negative strokes are bad things that you do not like. Worst of all are zero strokes
- to be ignored.
Strokes especially the positive ones are the most useful tools in your work
as a manager. Pay attention to people. Even if you have no time to go into details in
their tasks or problems. Use positive strokes to show attention. Be careful with negative
strokes. And finally: Do not ignore anybody.
Pacing
Some people go well together. They like to do things the same way. Other people just don't
fit together at all. But also days and situations can be different. The phenomena is
called pacing and is to a large extent based on non verbal communication. To pace a person
is to follow him or her in body language, in speed, in rhythm in thinking and in talking.
To pace a person is a very effective way to build up a situation of confidence. In the
same way, shouting, interrupting, not answering or not paying attention is an effective
way to create irritation and bad working relations.
We have already talked about the initial four minutes and relation
building in a contact. Pacing should be the natural ingredient in all the steps. If you
feel that the person you are dealing with is excited - follow him, be excited. If he is
sad or disappointed - try to keep the same speed, the same tone and pitch of your voice,
body movements and position. He will appreciate it.
If the person you want to have a talk with is sitting - sit down. If he
is standing - stand up, or ask him, in his way of talking, to sit down. Go through all the
steps in the four minutes relation building, trying to pace the person as much as you can.
Try to make it a habit to pace people, they will not discover it, but
they will appreciate it unconsciously.
Stress
Stress is a normal and necessary reaction of the body to something that may concern us.
The factors that are stressing us are called stress factors and it is these stress factors
that motivate us in everything we do.
The body's reaction to stress is to increase production of adrenaline
(a hormone produced in the kidneys), which among other things gives us shallower and
quicker breathing, tenser muscles and a sharpening of all senses. The body is prepared for
action.
These normal and necessary symptoms disappear as soon as relevant
action is taken, or the reasons for our stress have disappeared.
When we talk about stress, we usually mean abnormal and prolonged
stress, caused by permanent stress factors. This kind of prolonged stress can and will
cause negative effects, mentally as well as physically.
Stress, if caused by an external factor, will draw the attention from
our work, we will be absent-minded and have difficulties to concentrate. Prolonged and
high levels of stress can also cause nervous problems, stomach disease (ulcer), alcoholism
and reduce our resistance to other diseases.
The most effective way to reduce your stress is to identify the stress
factors and eliminate as many of them as possible. Those you cannot eliminate you should
try to evaluate.
Imagine for example that you have a conflict with a
colleague who might be talking behind your back. First you may assess how serious the back
talking is, what he may be saying about you, and how serious consequences it may have.
Normally the consequences are less serious then what you first felt. And even if they are
serious, you are probably strong enough to cope also with that.
The next step may be
to solve the problem with your colleague or decide just to ignore it. (Note: Do not ignore
your colleague! Ignore the problem!) Maybe techniques mentioned in this manual, as strokes
and pacing, can help you to sort out the situation without any drastic measures. If you
are an honest and good person he will probably have discovered that by this time and
change his behaviour. Being able to forgive is a sign of a good leader.
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