What Drives Us
Reading author Daniel Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, I have a few ponderings:
* ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment): Yow-za. The idea, particularly as featured through CEO Jeff Gunther of Meddius, emphasizes individual worker autonomy for heightened efficiency. For example, individuals aren’t required to “clock in” for a certain schedule – work can be flexible to meet the obligations of doctor’s appointments, kids’ soccer games, and gardening. The key is the work output, the result – ie, accountability is built into the structure.
Some might view ROWE as a pie-in-the-sky, goodness-inside-each-of-us philosophy. I would advocate for ROWE in a coached environment of worker expertise – that is, workers have knowledge, the organization creates a structure of results that encourages creativity and passion, and workers (whether managers, peers or reports) give feedback to improve.
* Leisure-work: As we know, some famous companies encourage employees to dedicate x amount of time regularly to their own projects for the greater success of the organization. “Work” does indeed take on a different atmosphere when we’re passionate about it. Which makes me think of this:
I love my job, and yet the hours can be long and the day-to-day stressful. I work in senior living, and part of my responsibility is to assist seniors and their families in their search for a senior living solution. Sometimes I partner with families who are in crisis (if Mom has Alzheimer’s and wandered away from home; if Uncle broke his hip and can no longer manage his split-level home), and my flexibility to their timeframe is critical. I choose to be on-call in addition to my full-time schedule, and the results are powerful – families show teary-eyed relief, their loved one is safe, and I know I’ve made a difference for the good.
* ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment): Yow-za. The idea, particularly as featured through CEO Jeff Gunther of Meddius, emphasizes individual worker autonomy for heightened efficiency. For example, individuals aren’t required to “clock in” for a certain schedule – work can be flexible to meet the obligations of doctor’s appointments, kids’ soccer games, and gardening. The key is the work output, the result – ie, accountability is built into the structure.
Some might view ROWE as a pie-in-the-sky, goodness-inside-each-of-us philosophy. I would advocate for ROWE in a coached environment of worker expertise – that is, workers have knowledge, the organization creates a structure of results that encourages creativity and passion, and workers (whether managers, peers or reports) give feedback to improve.
* Leisure-work: As we know, some famous companies encourage employees to dedicate x amount of time regularly to their own projects for the greater success of the organization. “Work” does indeed take on a different atmosphere when we’re passionate about it. Which makes me think of this:
I love my job, and yet the hours can be long and the day-to-day stressful. I work in senior living, and part of my responsibility is to assist seniors and their families in their search for a senior living solution. Sometimes I partner with families who are in crisis (if Mom has Alzheimer’s and wandered away from home; if Uncle broke his hip and can no longer manage his split-level home), and my flexibility to their timeframe is critical. I choose to be on-call in addition to my full-time schedule, and the results are powerful – families show teary-eyed relief, their loved one is safe, and I know I’ve made a difference for the good.
Spot on, Brenda! There is no greater motivation than knowing you're making a difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Brenda! The feeling of making a difference is the main motivator to show up to work everyday:-)You are doing really good on that.
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