Keep Raising the Bar for Them
Summary
- People usually do the minimum required to keep their job, so if you want them to do more, you have to keep raising the bar.
- Employees do more only because they have to, not because they want to.
- Continuously raising the bar on hiring and expectations brings in more capable people.
- If you punish employees often, expect 30% to 50% less effort from them.
- Companies that punish their staff frequently have to hire more people to get the same amount of work done.
- If you notice your company is overstaffed, it might be because employees are less motivated due to frequent punishment.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest implementing a few key strategies to boost productivity and morale within a small business or personal growth journey:
Raise the Bar on Expectations: Start by consistently raising your expectations. If people usually only do the minimum to keep their job, elevate what that minimum is over time. This doesn't mean setting unachievable goals, but pushing the boundary just a bit further each time. For example, if your sales goal is 10 units a week, next week make it 11.
Avoid Frequent Punishments: Understand that frequent punishment leads to a significant drop in effort from your staff. Instead, focus on positive reinforcement. Recognize and reward good performance publicly and immediately. A simple "great job" or small token of appreciation can go a long way.
Create a Positive Work Environment: Make sure to foster a supportive and encouraging workplace. When employees feel valued and appreciated, their motivation increases. Hold regular team meetings to celebrate successes and brainstorm solutions for challenges together.
Hire Capable People: Continuously improve your hiring process to attract more capable individuals. Clearly define the competencies and skills required for the job and set high standards during the recruiting process. Conduct thorough interviews to ensure candidates meet these standards.
Monitor and Adjust Staffing Levels: If you find your business is overstaffed, reflect on your management practices. Overstaffing is often a sign of disengagement and lack of motivation due to frequent punishment. Reevaluate your staffing needs and whether employees are being utilized to their full potential.
Implementing these strategies can lead to a more productive and engaged team, pushing both your business and personal growth journey to new heights. By creating a positive environment and raising expectations, you'll naturally attract and retain high-performing individuals who can help drive success and growth.
Full Transcript
because people do the minimum required to keep their job you just have to keep raising the bar if you want people to do more there's no they do more because they want to it's they do more only because they have to and so you have to continue to raise the bar of what you can hire the type of people you can bring in whereas if you punish people all the time you get 30 to 50% less effort from those people which means you might have a team that's double or triple the size one of The Telltale sign of a company that punishes is they are overstaffed it's likely because you punish people and people do not lock their discretionary effort and therefore you get less from the resources you have
