| |
Put It Into Practice
Do a Self-Examination:
Which of these statements best represents your belief system about employee engagement? - Theory X: I believe that employees are by nature self-interested and, given the opportunity, will work as little as possible. They are resistant to change and are easily led by influential co-workers to adopt attitudes that undermine organizational goals. The task of management is to direct, persuade, reward, punish and control their activities in support of organizational goals.
- Theory Y: I believe employees are inherently self-motivated and trustworthy. The capacity for accountability and the willingness to achieve organizational goals are present in all employees, unless past experience with organizational barriers has caused them to become resistant. The task of management is to create an environment and implement processes that enable employees to achieve their own goals best as they work towards organizational goals.
(Adapted from John B. Miner, Theories of organizational behavior, Dryden Press: 1980).
Discussion: Leaders have been debating this issue for several decades. Many end up putting a percentage besides each option, tending to believe there is truth in both statements, but more truth in one than the other.
No matter which theory gets the majority of your vote, one thing seems clear: If employees believe in Theory Y but your management practices support Theory X, you are unlikely to attract the best talent and engage the best efforts of team members. Furthermore, if you say you believe in Theory Y and then act like you believe in Theory X, employee engagement will be further eroded, leading to high turnover and lost productivity.
Prescription for Change: - If you believe in Theory Y, identify the anomalies in your management practices and systematically eliminate them. Ask your team for feedback about how to create a workplace environment that supports shared beliefs. Engage with your peers and other organizational leaders to address anomalies at an organizational level.
- If you believe in Theory X, be aware that in today's current marketplace, you will have difficulty recruiting and retaining the best talent. Ask yourself, why it is important to me to maintain that belief system? How does my experience support and/or disprove it?
- If, after consideration, you decide to retain your belief in Theory X, then claim it. And be honest about it with new recruits and current employees. Don't try to be politically correct by saying you believe in Theory Y and then manage as if you believe in Theory X. Even if your employees disagree with your beliefs, at least they will respect you for your consistency. And for being honest with them in the interview process about what to expect if they choose to work for you.
- If you decide to abandon a belief in Theory X, solicit the input and assistance of your team in realigning management practices with that shared belief. Agree on team norms for dealing with team members who disappoint the team by acting as if Theory X is true. And involve team members in creating processes that clarify expectations and reward behaviors that support accountability for achieving organizational goals.
Management Practices Aligned with Theory Y |
- I conduct periodic meetings to get feedback from the team about how to improve work processes and service quality.
- Employee performance feedback comes from all directions -- from peers and direct reports as well as management.
- I involve team members in sharing leadership of team meetings and accountability for meeting effectiveness.
- When individual or team performance is not up to standard, I investigate systemic reasons that may have caused the gap (in addition to investigating an individual's lack of effort).
- Attendance, dress code and performance standards are created with input from employees.
- I encourage team members to form relationships with internal and external clients so they have direct feedback on their performance from the end user's viewpoint.
- I give team members access to information that will help them do their jobs more effectively and understand the business impact of their performance.
|
For other ForwardFocus tips, exercises and tools, we invite you to access the Tools section of our web site: www.forwardfocusinc.com
|
|
