Motivation is said to be Intrinsic or Extrinsic and that's the rub of the recession.
Hi my name is Ronald C Hughes and although Psychology is what I write about a lot of the time, I am not the Psychologist. I am the Business Skills Consultant and Trainer here in at Contact Ignition in Dublin, Ireland. I am currently running a life skills programme directed at executives made redundant by the recession called “How to Eat Chocolate”. We have only been running for a short time but we are having a positive effect on the members of the group. The aim of the programme is to keep up the morale of individuals currently stressed by a rapidly changing environment while they try to either find a job or, as almost all are doing, create a job by starting a business. So that’s how I got onto the subject of motivation and I started to realise that the real affect of this recession is on motivation.
Firstly, an affect is a change in the emotions of a person. When I say that what is happening is that the recession is having an affect on motivation I am talking about what drives us. On the other side of this, the effect is what we should all be concerned about, and that is that these people will stop moving forward and give up.
When I talk of individual morale most people will not understand as they would associate morale with group-think. Things like sports teams, a military or a company. But I am talking about the wider social group of community where we come across social welfare and how an individual will be motivated by other group members to continue to struggle even when all of their personal,intrinsic, motivation is exhausted.
The recession moved my motivator or, I should say, removed my motivator. Most people claim to work for the money and in some ways they do because money is a form of extrinsic motivation along with a pat on the back, a job title and fulfilling the need to feel worthy. This type of motivation comes from outside of us. When I lost my job I didn’t just lose my income, I lost the driver for my income! I lost the key to my energy and I needed to get it back.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It has to do with appreciation of beauty, knowledge, as well as mental and physical sensation. It’s the motivator Sir Edmond Hillary claimed he used for climbing Everest ".....because its there”. For either the experience of the climb or for conquering the unknown this is intrinsic but I actually think that Hillary was really “climbing to be noticed” which is extrinsic.
In a recession the external motivators that people use almost all of their adult lives dry up and the affect of this on our motivations means that we are in fact out of fuel, washed up finished. The only thing we can do is switch motivators but most people don’t event know how they are motivated and even fewer have the ability to switch their own motivator without help.
You might be judgmental and think that people that don’t work are lazy but most of the time people that don’t work lack motivation to work or are in fact motivated to not work. There is very little reward in not working other than the basic concept of impulse control. What I mean by this is that a person of little resources will exert control where they can to express independence. If refusing to work is the only way I can look strong then and only then will I play this card. I find it hard to understand why so little is being done while so many people slip steadily toward work atrophy, the inability to return to work, when what makes a community attractive to direct inward investment (outside businesses locating new facility locally) is the potential employee base, which is work ready, educated and experienced. Yet recession changes the nature of the workforce. People are left to waste and have no personal understanding of why or what then can do to keep ready for the next change.
If you are unemployed or know of someone who is unemployed I urge you to seek help for yourself, him or her. A small amount of outside intervention is enough to get you or them headed in the right direction. You need to move to intrinsic motivation which sometimes takes a lot of extrinsic motivation and help from friends and family. Self help books can help and indeed reading of any sort can be helpful. Social networking is not helpful unless it is within the context of extrinsic motivation seeking for example when you tell people about the courses you attend and they tell you "well done". Business Networking with a purpose and looking for connection back into employment is extremely helpful because you get to talk the talk of a professional which awakens that extrinsic motivation within you.
The reality of life for most of these people is that the current recession has sparked a permanent shift in our major motivators, moving us to being intrinsically motivated from now on. This means that what will get us going in the morning is not fear of the boss firing us, but seeking to find the beauty within the tasks we invest our time in. It means that we will need to get in touch with our emotions and understand what is motivating us. What are we hungry for? What do we love? It means spending a lot of time with ourselves and maybe by ourselves but not being alone. We need to find ourselves first and then we can find our paths and we need to keep our relationships open while we do this. Most of the things required to move your motivators will fall under the category of life skills materials. All that is important about these materials is that they force a shift in view from external to internal and that the programmes must be thought provoking and involve the development of new skills.
If you can turn your motivators from extrinsic to intrinsic, two very powerful things happen. The first is that you get a little more enjoyment out of each and every day and the second is that you will find that intrinsic motivation is far more powerful than extrinsic. You get far more energy from love, joy, beauty and knowledge than money can buy.
If you are involved in Community Education or working with the unemployed and would like more information on this and other courses, please contact Ronald C Hughes at http://www.contactignition.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Response to blog on Worky
http://www.worky.com/groups/customer-service/show/40
http://marketing.about.com/od/relationshipmarketing/a/crmtopten.htm
http://www.contactignition.com
This is the type of noise that causes bad service in the first place. Let me point out why!
1. Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.
(Ron)1. You are the boss, you have all the power the person screaming is doing so because of "your power", you need to let them know from the onset that you are the boss and that you want to help.
2. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants. Do you know what three things are most important to your customer?
Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to whom else we could be selling to.
(Ron) 2. Listening is great, but I will kick your A** in a minute for setting listening to customers without control, you need to take charge of the questions you are the expert not the customer.
3 Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
(Ron) 3 OK, I don't get what you are saying here? If I get you correctly you mean let the customer know about problem before they find out on their own (which would be good advise)?
4 Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance. On the show floor be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.
(Ron) 4 This is good advise gone bad, if you really care about the customer, I don't need to tell you this. If on the other hand you don't care about the customer, those long hard days you have had in the pasted aren't going to disappear, get out while you can because the facts are that people working in service that don't like the customer get sick from this kind of work and really need to be "let go" for heath and safety reasons. Oh dear god please don't tell people to use the customers name without telling them how to do this 99% of the people I deal with in public do this wrong and cause themselves difficulties.
5 Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organization.
(Ron) 5 Most customers need to know nothing about what you need to do, they need to know what they need to do, when and why. No process is unbreakable so you can let them know what to do if something they should expect doesn't happen
6 Appreciate the power of "Yes". Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.
(Ron) 6 "part right" I can always help you. Even if that is to point out that you have dialed the wrong number!
7 Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It's easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done. Make it simple for customers to complain. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
(Ron) 7 an apology is valuable, but you haven't help here. an Apology is An expression of regret, roughly a dislike of one's own actions in the past. This is where you should apologize on behalf of the company and let the customer know who is being informed of there complaint. It doesn't help unless the customer knows that the problem is being dealt with fully. I hate it when the agent tell me they are sorry. .
8 Give more than expected. Since the future of all companies lies in keeping customers happy, think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Consider the following:
* What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
* What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy?
* What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?
(Ron) 8 Great advise, let me know how many of your customers are giving their customer what they expect?
and by the way if you give good customer service the customer has almost never received it so you have your unexpected
9 Get regular feedback. Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services.
* Listen carefully to what they say.
* Check back regularly to see how things are going.
* Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
(Ron) 9 look for improvement by: Scientific research methods, most companies don't really know what the customers thinks because of poor research method like using comment cards.
10 Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important.
(Ron) 10 company's that don't treat their employee well should be "companies" so don't advise them.
(Ron's Rule) I only have one rule for customer service that's to "improve" challenge yourself to get better, challenge your competitor to get better, challenge your suppliers to get better and challenge your customers to get better.
http://marketing.about.com/od/relationshipmarketing/a/crmtopten.htm
http://www.contactignition.com
This is the type of noise that causes bad service in the first place. Let me point out why!
1. Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.
(Ron)1. You are the boss, you have all the power the person screaming is doing so because of "your power", you need to let them know from the onset that you are the boss and that you want to help.
2. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants. Do you know what three things are most important to your customer?
Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to whom else we could be selling to.
(Ron) 2. Listening is great, but I will kick your A** in a minute for setting listening to customers without control, you need to take charge of the questions you are the expert not the customer.
3 Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
(Ron) 3 OK, I don't get what you are saying here? If I get you correctly you mean let the customer know about problem before they find out on their own (which would be good advise)?
4 Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance. On the show floor be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.
(Ron) 4 This is good advise gone bad, if you really care about the customer, I don't need to tell you this. If on the other hand you don't care about the customer, those long hard days you have had in the pasted aren't going to disappear, get out while you can because the facts are that people working in service that don't like the customer get sick from this kind of work and really need to be "let go" for heath and safety reasons. Oh dear god please don't tell people to use the customers name without telling them how to do this 99% of the people I deal with in public do this wrong and cause themselves difficulties.
5 Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organization.
(Ron) 5 Most customers need to know nothing about what you need to do, they need to know what they need to do, when and why. No process is unbreakable so you can let them know what to do if something they should expect doesn't happen
6 Appreciate the power of "Yes". Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.
(Ron) 6 "part right" I can always help you. Even if that is to point out that you have dialed the wrong number!
7 Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It's easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done. Make it simple for customers to complain. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
(Ron) 7 an apology is valuable, but you haven't help here. an Apology is An expression of regret, roughly a dislike of one's own actions in the past. This is where you should apologize on behalf of the company and let the customer know who is being informed of there complaint. It doesn't help unless the customer knows that the problem is being dealt with fully. I hate it when the agent tell me they are sorry. .
8 Give more than expected. Since the future of all companies lies in keeping customers happy, think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Consider the following:
* What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
* What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy?
* What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?
(Ron) 8 Great advise, let me know how many of your customers are giving their customer what they expect?
and by the way if you give good customer service the customer has almost never received it so you have your unexpected
9 Get regular feedback. Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services.
* Listen carefully to what they say.
* Check back regularly to see how things are going.
* Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
(Ron) 9 look for improvement by: Scientific research methods, most companies don't really know what the customers thinks because of poor research method like using comment cards.
10 Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important.
(Ron) 10 company's that don't treat their employee well should be "companies" so don't advise them.
(Ron's Rule) I only have one rule for customer service that's to "improve" challenge yourself to get better, challenge your competitor to get better, challenge your suppliers to get better and challenge your customers to get better.
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