Motivation on the Run

Learning the lessons of personality types and how to motivate each one is a challenge everyone in management must come to grips with. I think Jeffrey, like most of us, try to manage by how we like to be managed. This seems to be a natural thing to do. Those that are self starters, assume that all people will self start and are amazed when the facts don’t line up with that thought. This is a good post and you need to go read it all in context.

Thinking Faster: Adaptive Management Style

What I’ve learned is that regardless of my preferred management style, I’ve got to adapt it to the situation and the people who are working for me. While I may prefer to give high level guidance and direction, for the more detail-oriented people who work for me, I’ve got to break it down for them and with them or they will struggle. For the people who need a gentle boost, I’ve got to sit down with them on a regular basis to determine where they are and what motivation they need. For the folks who like to color outside the lines, I’ve got to encourage that desire but ensure we are working on what our customers or clients want.