Approaches to PeopleApproaches to People(Using Human Resources)(Using Human Resources)

Lecture 3Lecture 3

Dr. Craig KasperDr. Craig Kasper

IntroductionIntroduction

• Main point: People are THE key to productivity. Main point: People are THE key to productivity.

• Productivity reflects on you, the manager!Productivity reflects on you, the manager!

• And we all want to look good, right??And we all want to look good, right??

HighlightsHighlights

• Contingency TheoryContingency Theory• Importance of people orientationImportance of people orientation• Maslow’s HierarchyMaslow’s Hierarchy• Active ListeningActive Listening• Writing a Performance StandardWriting a Performance Standard• Efficiency and effectivenessEfficiency and effectiveness• Self AssessmentSelf Assessment• Five steps to improve productivityFive steps to improve productivity

Contingency TheoryContingency Theory

• We’ll discuss contingencies for physical emergencies We’ll discuss contingencies for physical emergencies later, but what if your “disaster” is an employee??later, but what if your “disaster” is an employee??

• Human behavior is very complex. Human behavior is very complex.

• Ultimately, you manage through understanding and Ultimately, you manage through understanding and feeling for the people.feeling for the people.

• A good manager must A good manager must knowknow the people who work for the people who work for him.him.

Good ManagementGood Management

• Select the right people.Select the right people.

• Develop talentDevelop talent

• Treat Treat justlyjustly (may be different than what people’s sense of “fair” or (may be different than what people’s sense of “fair” or “unfair” is…)“unfair” is…)

• Set high standards (people will either meet or exceed them, or wash Set high standards (people will either meet or exceed them, or wash out.)out.)

• Insist on achieving your set goals (people may surprise you with Insist on achieving your set goals (people may surprise you with their ingenuity.)their ingenuity.)

• Reward superior performance!! (Penalize suboptimal performance.)Reward superior performance!! (Penalize suboptimal performance.)

Leadership RevisitedLeadership Revisited

• We already mentioned that good leaders do so We already mentioned that good leaders do so by setting good examples. by setting good examples.

• However, good leaders also have the ability to However, good leaders also have the ability to influence people (not the power to require). influence people (not the power to require).

• REM: If all your employees leave due to your REM: If all your employees leave due to your bad daily bad attitude, then you do a lot of work bad daily bad attitude, then you do a lot of work yourself!yourself!

Leadership DefinedLeadership Defined

• StruggleStruggle

• Strive to achieve clairity of purpose.Strive to achieve clairity of purpose.

• Competant, assurred, confident (not arrogance), courageousCompetant, assurred, confident (not arrogance), courageous

• This attitude can be contageous and often attracts followers! (A self-This attitude can be contageous and often attracts followers! (A self-fullfilling prophecy of sorts, since this is what make a leader great fullfilling prophecy of sorts, since this is what make a leader great anyway!)anyway!)

• Mentor, Mentor, doesn’t panic. doesn’t panic.

• Explains difficult decisions (especially when they must be reversed.)Explains difficult decisions (especially when they must be reversed.)

Malsow (1954)Malsow (1954)

• Yes, this stuff still applies…Yes, this stuff still applies…

• Everone has basic needs and your employees Everone has basic needs and your employees certainly qualify.certainly qualify.

• They all revolve around self-fulfillment.They all revolve around self-fulfillment.

MaslowMaslow

1.1. Basic: air, water, food, rest, shelter.Basic: air, water, food, rest, shelter.

2.2. Safety (security): Protection.Safety (security): Protection.

3.3. Social: sense of belonging, sharing, friends, loveSocial: sense of belonging, sharing, friends, love

4.4. Esteem: respect, achievement, competence, confidence.Esteem: respect, achievement, competence, confidence.

5.5. Independence: working toward personal goals, authority, freedomIndependence: working toward personal goals, authority, freedom

6.6. Self-fulfillment: Be all you can be!!, learning, growth, self-Self-fulfillment: Be all you can be!!, learning, growth, self-actualization (ambition).actualization (ambition).

• When these core When these core needs aren’t met, it needs aren’t met, it often shows up in anoften shows up in an employee’s attitude!employee’s attitude!

• Unsatisfied needs Unsatisfied needs become motivators become motivators for other behaviors.for other behaviors.

• You’ll see it coming inYou’ll see it coming in some folks long beforesome folks long before

you actually have a you actually have a confrontation. confrontation.

““Whoa! Too much coffee, Bob??”Whoa! Too much coffee, Bob??”

James Greenwood

Communication and Active ListeningCommunication and Active Listening

• We choose to communicate verbally. We choose to communicate verbally.

• Non-verbal communication (NVC) is Non-verbal communication (NVC) is automaticautomatic. (Even . (Even when you say nothin’, you’re sayin’ when you say nothin’, you’re sayin’ somethingsomething.).)

• Personal perception is a powerful influencing factor in Personal perception is a powerful influencing factor in NVC.NVC.

• Also, recall that you can’t please everyone, all the time.Also, recall that you can’t please everyone, all the time.

Active ListeningActive Listening

• ““You can let your walk, talk…or you can let your talk, You can let your walk, talk…or you can let your talk, talk; but never let your talk, talk, more than your walk, talk; but never let your talk, talk, more than your walk, talks!” talks!”

• Learn to speak less and listen more (insight)! Reduce Learn to speak less and listen more (insight)! Reduce your listen/talk ratio.your listen/talk ratio.

• This gives you a powerful upper hand in determining the This gives you a powerful upper hand in determining the best course of action when dealing with conflict.best course of action when dealing with conflict.

• What you hear from people in the most innocent What you hear from people in the most innocent situation may provide valuable insight into what their true situation may provide valuable insight into what their true nature is (tarot).nature is (tarot).

Setting the BarSetting the Bar

• Evaluation of performance of workers is critical Evaluation of performance of workers is critical to any operation.to any operation.

• Each job should have a set of standards to “live Each job should have a set of standards to “live up to.” If it doesn’t, then employees don’t know up to.” If it doesn’t, then employees don’t know what is expected.what is expected.

• Employees are often involved in defining their Employees are often involved in defining their job standards. This is good for both employee job standards. This is good for both employee and manager. and manager.

Standard “standards”Standard “standards”

1.1. Resemble a contract between the employee and Resemble a contract between the employee and the firm.the firm.

2.2. Address the most important aspects of the Address the most important aspects of the empolyee’s duties and responsbilities.empolyee’s duties and responsbilities.

3.3. Guide the employee to accomplish important Guide the employee to accomplish important tasks. (As defined by the supervisor.)tasks. (As defined by the supervisor.)

4.4. Be directed at specific tasks or requirments.Be directed at specific tasks or requirments.

5.5. Act as units of meaure (goes back to employee Act as units of meaure (goes back to employee comparision/evaluation.)comparision/evaluation.)

Standard “standards”Standard “standards”

6. Be brief, clear, concise, believable and easily 6. Be brief, clear, concise, believable and easily understood!!understood!!

7. Enhance communication between employee and 7. Enhance communication between employee and supervisor.supervisor.

8. Encourage productivity and efficiency.8. Encourage productivity and efficiency.

9. Enable employeeand evaluator to agree on 9. Enable employeeand evaluator to agree on whether the accomplishements failed to meet, whether the accomplishements failed to meet, met, or exceeded the standards.met, or exceeded the standards.

10. Be taken seroiusly.10. Be taken seroiusly.

““Unstandard” standardsUnstandard” standards

1.1. Nebulous, challenge your team, but don’t Nebulous, challenge your team, but don’t “give ‘em enough rope to “give ‘em enough rope to hang themselves!”hang themselves!”

2.2. Overemphasis on doing the “boss’” job. If your’re doing his job, Overemphasis on doing the “boss’” job. If your’re doing his job, why is he there? It works the other way, too!why is he there? It works the other way, too!

3.3. Include unimportant tasks—those not necessary for the possition.Include unimportant tasks—those not necessary for the possition.4.4. Unclear.Unclear.5.5. Difficult to measure.Difficult to measure.6.6. Discourage productivity.Discourage productivity.7.7. Cause mistrust.Cause mistrust.8.8. Mislead employee.Mislead employee.9.9. Waste/abuse of time.Waste/abuse of time.10.10. Unused/unenforced.Unused/unenforced.

Standard DevelopmentStandard Development

• This can be a daunting task, especially if you This can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have prior experience.don’t have prior experience.

• Communication (language) must be clear. Communication (language) must be clear.

• Often units of time, quality, and quantity are Often units of time, quality, and quantity are inserted within a document.inserted within a document.

• Don’t use directives, but require an outcome Don’t use directives, but require an outcome (and communicate it.)(and communicate it.)

ProductivityProductivity

• Usually a good manager also is rewarded by a Usually a good manager also is rewarded by a highly productive group (TAL).highly productive group (TAL).

• Periodically the manager needs to assess the Periodically the manager needs to assess the work or workers and make refinements as work or workers and make refinements as needed.needed.

• There is no rule of thumb here, but several basic There is no rule of thumb here, but several basic steps will be discussed.steps will be discussed.

What is productivity?What is productivity?

• Efficiency = output/inputEfficiency = output/input

• Productivity = doing the right things right.Productivity = doing the right things right.

• Increasing productivity can be achieved by Increasing productivity can be achieved by increasing efficiency, usefulness and efficiency, increasing efficiency, usefulness and efficiency, responsiveness to demand (speed), decreaseing responsiveness to demand (speed), decreaseing costs, decreasing production and delivery time.costs, decreasing production and delivery time.

The Manager’s MandateThe Manager’s Mandate

• Make goals clear from the start (syllabus).Make goals clear from the start (syllabus).

• Rate yourself as a manager (performance eval’s.)Rate yourself as a manager (performance eval’s.)

• Involve people in looking for opportunities.Involve people in looking for opportunities.

• Analyze and measure before and after a change.Analyze and measure before and after a change.

• Choose opportunities.Choose opportunities.