Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed To Do and What To Do About It, Ferdinand F. Fournies, (McGraw Hill 1999)
This book outlines 16 causes- and provides solutions- as to why employees don’t get things done for managers. The following quote is in line with being an engaged (or disengaged) executive:
We also discovered that managers had some erroneous beliefs about human behavior that were to them a logical reason for not taking corrective action. For example, when we taught managers that their verbal compliments about an employee’s good performance were a powerful influence on job performance, many managers said, “I pay them for that. Why should I thank them for it?” The answer, of course, is, “To get what you pay for.” A lot of managers believe they should not have to work at getting people to do what they are paid to do.
This belief is based on the predominant unwritten and unproven theory that if you hire the right welder, or the right Ph.D. Chemist, or the right senior accountant, the job will get done without the boss’s help. In other words, if you put the right people on the job, you will not have to manage them. If this theory were true, a lot of managers could be eliminated.; all your organization would need is a lot of good recruiters. It is really amazing that so many intelligent people believe such a ridiculous idea. That approach is not management; it is hoping for the best.
Looking at this quote and this Newsletter’s Engaged Executive article, “Gallup Poll Results”, what comments do you have?
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