Perhaps one of the most elusive kinds of people are these – the self-motivating ones.
This entry has been inspired by Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great”
“If you have the right people on the bus, they will be self-motivated.” – Jim Collins
Yeah right.
There’s an underlying problem with entrepreneurs. An elephant in the room, if you would. And that’s the question “How do you make your people self-motivated?”
It’s a question I have. And it’s killing me.
Don’t get me wrong, people in the SEO Hacker team are happy.
Very happy.
But that’s because they love the environment. They love their co-workers. Some of them love our cute dog.
But perhaps only a few handful love the company.
Even fewer perhaps love their job.
I may be wrong. I often am. But so far, this is how I see things.
Deadlines are not met. Menial tasks are left undone. Even management is inefficient and relaxed.
Sure, I can tell myself “I need a better operations guy. Someone who’s really crazy on JIT and deadlines and efficiency.” Who am I kidding?
There’s almost nobody here in the Philippines who’s as crazy as Tim Cook. And even then, he won’t be crazy enough to come work for me.
Running a business means you are running a system of solution(s). I better go find one to the problem of lack of self-motivation in my team. Perhaps especially in the upper management.
How do you make someone to really take ownership of a company so much so that the person will be self-motivated, perform efficiently, innovate, and bring the company forward?
That is the million-dollar question, isn’t it?
Give him a share in the company?
Yeah, that’s the easiest, most expensive answer.
Profit sharing?
Perhaps.
Mentorship?
Hmmmm…
Cheerleading?
I’m probably out of answers.
At this point I know there has to be a reorganization. I’ll pray, think, plan and ask for advise.
Insofar as I’m concerned, the only self-motivated people in my team are the ones who are shareholders.
And right now, that’s just me.
Care to tag along?