THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 1, 1994 TAG: 9411010334
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LON WAGNER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
This article almost wasn't written, but the boss insisted. Sort of.
``See if you can get something out of it,'' he said. ``If you're feeling up to it today.''
The editor's subtle nudging won that round, but a survey released Monday suggests almost half of the managers in today's workplace are unable to get the most out of their employees.
The study, sponsored by the International Performance Research Association, found that only 53 percent of bosses and managers could motivate their employees.
On the flip side, workers said their supervisors had an overly optimistic view: 65 percent said motivation in their companies was either nonexistent or it was merely paid lip service.
Matt Oechsli, a Greensboro, N.C., consultant who led the research, said the results reflected so poorly on managers that he was ``almost reluctant'' to release it.
``It's one of those things - you hate to be bashing the bosses,'' Oechsli said. ``But, gosh, they're all using all the cliches, all the words, all the tools. . . . Then when I get down to talking to the people who are being managed, just about half say their boss adds no value to their job.''
Oechsli said the solution is getting back to basics. The survey questioned 3,000 people in more than 60 companies during the past three years. Of the workers, 97 percent said improved communication would boost productivity.
``I'll get called up and they'll say, `Gee, what do we do about it?' '' Oechsli said. ``It's so simple to change. We do things like cutting back on memos and increasing personal contact.''
Managers who are leery about talking with their employees often use memos, seminars and consultants' techniques to shield themselves from one-on-one discussions with workers, he said.
``I think TQM (Total Quality Management) is a wonderful concept, but what happens is typically it's not used properly and you create bureaucracy,'' Oechsli said. ``It becomes a lot of verbiages. It's easier for them to bring in a consultant to do a seminar than it is to roll up their sleeves and get on with the process.''
Oechsli, a consultant himself, said people in the 1990s are skeptical not only about politicians but about consultants and managers. Some bosses who have tried to have informal chats with their employees get a cynical response.
``Everybody looks at motivation as sort of a Pollyanna-ish thing,'' Oechsli said, ``but really motivation is somebody coming up and saying, `Geez, that's a good story.' ''
So the editor got his story - it was even turned in early. Wonder if he liked it? by CNB