The Unlearning Organization LO10586

Cindy.Uhlir@astd.noli.com
19 Oct 1996 10:07:02 EDT

Replying to LO10445 --

Phillip Caper wrote :
LE>"While money is important (or as Carol Sager said, the green stuff), the
LE>intrinsic motivation, both informal and informal, of the job itself is
LE>more important when it comes to the individual's motivation to the job
LE>right. If money were that much more important, would life a lot easier
LE>for many top executives trying to improve the performance of their
LE>organizations, and we would not be discussing this today."

LE>Right!! I think the conceptual problem here is that a self reinforcing
LE>loop has been established in the ways of thinking about compensation and
LE>incentives. If my job has been designed in such a way that it is difficult
LE>or impossible for me extract personal satisfaction and cognitive growth
LE>from it, and I have no other or no better job options, then I am likely to
LE>say 'screw the job - I'll just turn up for the money, and satisfy my other
LE>needs elsewhere.'

LE>This encourages the managers and policy makers of that organisation to
LE>believe that money is the only incentive that employees respond to. When
LE>they begin to see the inevitable declines in performance that are
LE>associated with jobs stripped of their capacity to supply cognitive and
LE>emotional growth, and therefore intrinsic motivation, they respond by
LE>applying more cash incentives (linked to performance), and penalties for
LE>poor performance - a strategy which merely reinforces the alienation of
LE>the employees.

I couldn't agree with you more about this. I am presently working with an
organization that does just this. Everytime someone or somethings
performance is bad the idea is the only way that people are motivated is
by more money.

LE>A good example is skills based pay systems. The research evidence is that
LE>where the PAY is used to try and drive skills acquisition the strategy is
LE>likely to fail. Where access to training and personal development is used
LE>to drive multi/up-skilling, and the pay system is modified to reinforce
LE>the strategy and maintain congruence in the system, it is likely to
LE>succeed.

A system such as this was put into place over a year ago without a lot of
structure for people to acquire these skills. This has caused a lot of
problems no less. I am now working with them in the design of a
performance system that will allow this to happen.

My question is if all this revolves around pay in a lot of peoples minds
how do you start to change that? I know the intrinsic value of feeling
that I am doing a good job and that I am contributing to this value of the
company. I am looking for ways to help other people feel that way also.

CIndy Uhlir
Chrysalis Resources. Ltd.
Helping Business Emerge

-- 

Cindy.Uhlir@astd.noli.com

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>