Wushow “Bill” Chou, an IT Professional Advisory Board member, is revealing the secret sauce behind fostering an efficacious workforce. In “Staff Smart, Part 1: Motivation,” Chou emphasizes the importance of inspiring loyalty, motivation, and credit among employees to improve their productivity and effectiveness. Chou provides illustrative examples of how leaders can create a loyal and motivated team by first showing loyalty and respect for their staff.
How to Inspire Loyalty
To motivate staff, managers must inspire loyalty by taking good care of their staff, rewarding them adequately, standing up for them when they encounter undue difficulties, and mentoring them. Chou argues that to be an effective manager, one must develop skills to make their staff as productive as they can be. This includes recruiting, motivating, and delegating tasks.
Examples of Effective Leaders in Action
Chou provides examples of leaders who demonstrated loyalty to their staff, inspiring them to work harder and stay committed to their assigned tasks. In one example, an assistant secretary of management (ASM) in a federal cabinet agency backed up his staff member who was falsely accused of wrongdoing, showing he would stand up for his staff if they earned his trust. This action inspired other staff members to work harder and earn the ASM’s trust.
In another example, Chou highlights the importance of giving credit to staff when things go well, even if managers receive the credit. Managers who take the time to acknowledge their staff’s contributions and hard work are more likely to inspire loyalty and dedication in their team. But managers who take all the credit, even if their staff members performed most of the work, risk losing the loyalty and dedication of their team.
By inspiring loyalty, giving credit where it is due, and nurturing a sense of dedication among staff members, managers can create a positive and productive work environment that benefits everyone. Dig into Chou’s full paper, “Staff Smart, Part 1: Motivation” to learn more about how to motivate your staff toward stronger performance.
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