It used to be the default managerial style: wave a carrot in front of your employees and they will work endlessly to reach it. And if they get lazy on the way, you can remind them who’s boss with the stick in your other hand.
These days, says author and clinical psychologist Paul Marciano, employee motivation is less oriented to the beast of burden metaphor. The best companies, he says, build up their ranks through the principles of RESPECT — recognizing an employee’s contributions; empowering them with the tools and resources to best do their jobs; supporting them with feedback, coaching and mentoring; partnering encouragement to develop collaborative relationships; expectations that are attainable, set clearly, and put forth as interesting challenges; consideration and concern expressed by employers; and trust in your workers’ skills and judgment.
Marciano will speak on his latest book “Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work — Build a Culture of Employee Engagement With the Principles of RESPECT” on Wednesday, April 20, at 8 a.m. at Mercer County College. Cost: $119. To register, visit www.mccc.edu/respect.
Marciano, a former night janitor, operates ColorMeCompany.com, which touts itself as “The Home of Child-Drawn Arts & Crafts.” The company donates 10 percent of its revenue to children’s causes. He also is a professor of psychology at Yale.
