There’s lots of training and literature on how to motivate employees, and yet the world is full of miserable, underperforming workers and clueless, overbearing bosses. So what if we turn the situation around and talk about how to DEmotivate employees. Then, if you don’t like the result you get, at least you have a fresh perspective to help achieve the opposite effect. Make sense?
Here’s my contribution. In one of my first “Suit” jobs, I worked for a guy named Mike who was president of a company that was named after a vineyard, but in actuality sold tools by mail. (A direct marketing company, in other words.) It was an environment full of tension and recriminations. One day there was some kind of fiasco involving a wrong price or an advertised item that wasn’t available and (being the advertising manager) I expressed concern. Mike reassured me: “This time it isn’t your fault.”
Brilliant! I was simultaneously exonerated and reminded of my ongoing incompetence, with this incident being the exception that proved the rule. That quote has stayed with me for 20 odd years and is certainly one of the reasons I’m a satisfied non-employee today.
How about you? How do you demotivate your employees? (Or, how have you been demotivated successfully yourself?)
Dear Otis:
I think it is a mistake to attempt to motivate employees and demotivation happens all the time. I am an executive coach. I encourage my clients to inspire their employees by behaving in ways that cause their staff to trust and respect them. When bosses behave as exemplary ethical people they earn the trust and respect of their staff and inspire the people they work with to be great and wonderful employees.
Philip, this popped up today as a trending topic and I cannot believe I did not respond when you first posted.
I was being a bit snarky and you came with the truth: honest dealings and earnest striving will always win given the right environment. Thank you for reminding us of this.