How Leaders Create The Self-Fulfilling Promise Of Mutual Gain

What is the "self-fulfilling promise of mutual gain?"? First, you are not responsible for what employees get out of working with and for your organization. Second, you cannot give everyone what he or she want in life.

Nevertheless, you can help others see value in their association with you that only can be gained through their own efforts. This projection of value helps leaders guide intelligent people to make good for an organizations objectives.

Smart employees must see their own gain in what you ask of them. Leaders create the self-fulfilling promise of mutual gain by:

Learning about employees personal objectives.? When you know what employees want, you can ask them to do things that help them get it. Help employees see how they can get what they want doing what you ask, create mutual objectives only obtained through their efforts.

Helping individuals see them selves successful.? Let your employees know about the potential you see in them. "I know you'll find away to meet that project deadline, you can do it." - Rather than, "You better meet that deadline, we're all counting on you."? Both statements are used by well meaning executives, but only the first motivates real action.

Providing the tools necessary for professional growth.? Don't expect results on sweet labor alone; give employees the tools they need to accomplish what you desire or at least the resources to work around setbacks. Nothing is more frustrating to you team than not having what is necessary to meet objectives - ask them what they need, and make them responsible for results.

Let individuals use skills that enhance performance.? Have you ever been sent to training only to wait months before you could use anything you've learned?? Ask employees before they train to consider what problems they would like to solve upon their return. Use this momentum to address important issues pertaining to their position, role, and the organizations needs.

Ask employees what they can do to meet objectives. Your employees are smarter than you might think, instead of telling them what to do, ask them what they are committed to do to make something specific happen. When an employee says it, they are bound to their word, when you tell them they often aren't listening. It's even possible they may have ideas you haven't considered or couldn't imagine possible.

Yes, there is more that can be done, but it's critical first to understand that others must get what they want while giving you what you want. People are motivated by their own needs foremost.

To have strong relationships with your employees, you'll need to help them see the value in their association with you. In this, you will create highly motivated individuals willing to push forward corporate objectives because objectives become meaningful to their own lives.