by Sue Lindgren Hawkes, CMEC

Happy people are more productive. *

Last week I worked with two organizations about effectively managing employees in this challenging economy.  I told them that a manager’s best method for boosting productivity is to provide an experience of security for employees (while remaining honest about how it is) because research shows that happy people accomplish more.  Both times I got back a similar question, “But isn’t a certain amount of fear necessary (read desirable) to ensure performance?” 

This is not an uncommon assumption. We have been steeped in the management model we refer to as “COP;” an acronym for Control, Order, Predict.  COP was designed in the military during the industrial age when conformity and consistency were two of the most sought after responses from employees. It worked quite well during that timeframe.  However, we’ve moved past the industrial age and the COP model no longer works. 

In our information-laden, socially-connected, device-driven, opinion-sharing culture, fear is nothing more than a very short-term motivator. In fact, there is no research at all to support that fear  offers more than mediocre, short term results, and instead instills bitterness, resentment and resignation.

My response to the question was to ask another: “If your place of work supported the best of who you are, afforded the opportunity to contribute the best of your abilities (the ones you enjoyed doing most) and you were surrounded by other people doing the same, would fear be required to stay motivated?”

The pulse of most organizations (and households) suggests we need environments that allow us to feel good about who we are, what we offer and how we contribute.  When a culture (or family) operates this way, people become fully engaged and naturally perform better.

So what effectively replaces the Control/Order/Predict model (also read “fear”) as a motivator?  It’s easy – just replace the COP model with stress.   That’s right – swap fear for stress. 

In our Emotional Intelligence (EQ) program, in which we enhance great leadership through high EQ, we make two distinctions to stress – “distress” and “eustress.” 

Distress is the experience we most often associate with its root word “stress” meaning, “Great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble. A state of extreme necessity or misfortune.” **

Eustress is much less known or understood. It is defined as, “stress that is deemed healthful or giving one the feeling of fulfillment.”**

Now imagine your days spent going to your workplace filled with eustress….  Sounds good, eh? I think more of us would look forward to going to work and being “stressed out.”  Now that would be an economic stimulus plan!

* Read my blog, “Happiness is its own Reward”
 
** Definitions from www.dictionary.com

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