Choosing a Rewarding System Along the Following Framework

Type of Reward Implementation Advantages fo the Reward

Basic salary increases not directly related to performance	Decided by management dependent on overall salary scales	Individuals know exactly what to expect; and can reduce element of competition within teams
Bonuses: One-off payments linked to performance or financial targets	Can take several forms such sharing financial savings based on meaningful measures	Increases motivation and job satisfaction, gives incentive for cost cutting and quality drives
Allocated share of profits is split between employees	Fair methods for profit distribution on corporate or divisional basis	An excellent staff motivator of individuals giving teams purpose
Share ownership: giving shares to staff or chances to buy shares on preferential terms	Rewards linked to corporate success moving from top levels in many corporations	Encourages long term loyalty and sense of involvement and helps identification with group results
Recognition rewards, gifts, prizes, holidays, parties, praise and acknowledgement of good performance	Care taken to avoid implying that performance is the exception rather than the rule	Can reward teams or individuals, highly motivating staff by recognition even if reward is only verbal e. g. praise
Composite rewards allocated for individual, team, and company results	Management can combine individual with company-wide rewards tied to teamwork	Varying reward packages keeps staff interest fresh and boosts team work

Leading Discussions

You have to lead team discussions formally or informally with staff and leading discussions is one of the tasks and another essential form of communication. By skillfully playing a leading role in discussions you can keep your staff productive and purposeful.

Questions you need to ask yourself before holding discussions with your staff.

1 Am I seeking to give staff information or instructions or just making an announcement?

2 Am I holding a discussion with the aim of making a decision or decisions?

3 Is the purpose of the discussion to give or obtain feedback on company progress?

4 Is the meeting a negotiation or a disciplinary meeting or to find out certain facts?

5 Do I want to discuss long term or short term issues, crisis in the company or not.

Tips for leading discussions.

1 Give staff time for any meetings and always keep your appointments.

2 Keep discussions informal unless it is absolutely necessary to be formal.

3 Never hide behind closed doors of private office if that is possible.

4 An open door office fosters better and open communication process.

5 Invite only relevant people to attend meetings.

6 Allow staff to stay away if they feel they have nothing to contribute to a meeting.

7 Do not use meetings to dictate, but keep meetings as short as possible.

8 End meetings with a summary of what has been accomplished.

9 Whenever you call a meeting, make sure it can answer the following three questions:

i) Has the meeting a clearly defined purpose?

ii) Does the meeting have measurable outcomes?

iii) Does the meeting have a functional membership?

iv) Can individuals, instead of a meeting achieve the same purpose?

Go to every meeting with a carefully prepared plan for what you want to accomplish.

Analysing Problems and Problem- Solving. (Finding solutions.)

The word problem means “something that is difficult to solve” “a puzzle”. By being positive and analysing issues you can overcome any obstacles and replace them with solutions. In fact the word "problem” should be avoided by progressive managers because it has “defeatist” “negative” connotations. Replace it with word “challenge” or “opportunities” which cause adrenalin to flow, getting you ready for action to find solutions (Can do) attitude.

Tips for managers

1 Recognising the emotional blockage to a solution helps the “problem” to disappear.

2 Regard “problems” as opportunities and consider them from every possible angle.

3 Always look at the positive side of any negative situation and consider all the facts.

For example, if you want to find the correct price of a new product you can follow this procedure and ask the following questions to get to the right price:

What is the projected price? How much will it cost? Who will fix the price? How will it be devised, who will devise it? What is the competitors’ price? Should we really go for price increase? etc

If you diligently and honestly answer all these questions positively, you will come to the correct pricing.

In problem solving (finding solutions) you need first to analyse the situation, then plan a course of action and then act according to your plan. All the three steps are essential and a good solution cannot be found without implementing them one after the other, because, problem solving is a management skill of “knowing what to do, how to do it, and doing it.” Peter Drucker.

Giving Support to your Staff

As a leader you need to work hard to first foster trust in order to earn trust by showing loyalty and support for your team. Build trust by proving that you are trustworthy by word and deed again and again and all the time.

Tips for you

1 Find ways of showing your staff you trust them to act effectively all the time.

2 If you have to criticise someone do so privately and not publicly.

3 Staff must be fully informed of anything that might directly affect them.

4 If promises are made they should be kept; and never refuse a request without careful thought.

5 Give a prompt and sympathetic response to your staff’s personal problems.

6 Instill faith in your staff by being fair and honest with all of them even in difficult situations.

Exercise: Leadership skills Self assessment Task. 128.