Inspiring Your Authentic Week

Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:29 AM PDT

Imagine a job where you decide how much you get paid, where you decide on your role, your title, how hard you work and your tasks.

Does that sound like your sort of job?

Perhaps you already have it.

Most of us are so wedded to the conventions of hierarchy and authority that we accept the idea of waiting to be told what to do, what we will be paid and how much we must work without question.

Neither side of this equation pauses to ask if this is the most efficient and effective way to do things. On the whole, even those who want to be paid more or work less accept the jurisdiction of the hierarchy to make the decision.

The idea of going to those in authority and specifying your preferences is anathema, but why?

Let's consider the reasons for employing people. Organisations employ people to contribute to the fulfilment of the organisational objectives. Ideally you end up with people doing work that precisely matches their skills and motivation and delivers optimally on the objectives.

But who is best placed to match employee with activity? Is this a top down process or more of a conversation?

Think of yourself as an employer and imagine the ideal employee. Would you prefer someone who sat on the bench waiting to be called and then did what they were told to do and then waited for further instructions; or someone who proactively proposed exactly where they would be most effective, delivered using initiative and then proposed where they would be most effective next?

If you are asking people to fulfill repetitive and simple tasks then the former might be a suitable answer. If you are asking people to do things that require thought, creativity, discretion and intelligence then the latter will be more effective.

So as an employee - why not take that initiative and make the proposal for your new job before you are asked? To make the decision easier you can cost it out in terms of money and hours invested, including your own requirements.

In Authentic Leadership we teach people to be leaders in their own career as well as in their work. To plan their careers, ensure that there is alignment between their personal objectives, their team and their employers objectives to optimise, motivation, engagement and productivity.

Interestingly a Professor of Management at the University of Notre Dame has been researching the link between meaningful work and employee motivation. His findings indicate that employees in "Green" businesses are more motivated than employees in more conventional businesses.

Nothing new in this for followers of authentic business, the only difference being that from our research we see that these advantages are not restricted to "green" businesses, but any profound and positive purpose that a group of people can align around.

Join us on our Authentic Business Radio show every Thursday at 5pm UK, 6pm Euro or 12.00 EST. This week we will be discussing "The Limit".

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With love

nx

Neil Crofts
Neil Crofts
authentic business

+34 646391384
neil@neilcrofts.com
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Skype - neilcrofts