The 6 MASTER requirements that transform people and performance

1. MEANING
We all need a sense of meaning in our lives, especially in the workplace as most of us spend a significant amount of time there. Without a sense of meaning, work can be dull and uninspiring and under those conditions, personal output will be low. When we experience meaning in our work we can see how our efforts align with the overall objectives of the organisation. We can see that what we do is a ‘means to an end.’ If meaning is lacking in our work it feels as though we are working in the dark with no apparent destination to reach or goals to achieve.

What’s required?
Managers must recognise this fact and behave in such a way that encourages their people to experience a sense of meaning in their work. People need to understand exactly how their efforts contribute to the company’s mission. When this happens, they will engage and morale and productivity will rise. When people are engaged there is no need to ask them to stay late to finish an important project, they’ll just do it.

2. AFFILIATION
People need to feel a sense of belonging within their company. Human beings are ‘tribal’ animals and as a result, crave to be part of the team (the tribe). If we feel isolated from our colleagues and the company in general we are unable to perform at our best. Affiliation is built by developing and nurturing teams and when a team is performing optimally, amazing results can be achieved.

What’s required?
Managers should encourage a sense of affiliation by encouraging a sense of belonging. This can be achieved by building high performing teams and networks and communicating effectively. When people feel a sense of belonging it brings a social dimension to their work which in turn makes work more enjoyable and something to fully engage in.

3. SECURITY
We all crave security in all areas of our lives, the workplace being no exception. When a sense of security is missing, fear is usually present. When fearful, people will put their energy into protecting themselves, ‘covering their backs.’ When this happens, productivity and moral will be low.

What’s required?
Managers can no longer offer a ‘job for life’ but they can install a sense of security by encouraging openness and the sharing of relevant information. They must understand this need for a sense of security and communicate with their people in a way that encourages trust and understanding. When this happens, people are more willing to engage and as a result, productivity and moral increase.

4. TRUST
Trust in the workplace is essential if an organisation is to perform to its full potential. Sadly, cynicism often intervenes and people become sceptical of the value statement which claims, ‘people are our most important asset’. When trust is absent, so is the willingness to fully engage, heart and soul, and to work in harmony as a team. Without effective teamwork an organisation can never realise its full potential.

What’s required?
Managers must cultivate a culture of trust and can achieve this by being open and honest with their people and demonstrate trust in all they say and do. Behaviour, after all, begets behaviour! When this happens, staff will work together, more willingly and openly improving personal, team and ultimately company performance.

5. EMPATHY
The word empathy is often misunderstood. Being empathic does not mean to connect with another person’s issue or problem that is sympathy. To be empathetic requires that you remain detached from the issue or the problem whilst being able to engage in how the other person is feeling. True empathy is such a powerful communication tool yet it is so sadly missing in many human interactions. However, when people behave empathically with each other, communication improves and respect for each other is built.

What’s required?
An empathic manager is a very powerful communicator and as a result, is likely to be a highly effective manager. Empathy is not a quality shared by a fortunate few; it is a quality and behaviour that can be learned.

6. RECOGNITION
Recognition is a powerful motivator. When we recognise others as individuals in their own right, it builds their self respect. We all seek to be recognised as individuals and by simply asking another person how they are builds their sense of well being. When we recognise others for the good work they do they associate themselves with the task and immediately want to do better next time because praise is infectious. Recognising another human being is paying the ultimate compliment by acknowledging their presence and showing them respect as a fellow human being. If people fail to gain the recognition they deserve, negative thinking becomes a self fulfilling prophecy which results in a spiral of declining morale.

What’s required?
It is essential that managers learn how to practice recognition. When this happens, people feel a greater sense of job satisfaction and, as a result, are prepared to work harder which increases their own performance, the performance of the team and ultimately, the organisation.