Noor e khudaaa
Ohhhhooo ohhoooo
Noor e khuda
Ajnabe mod hai
Khauf har ore hai
Har nazar pe dhua cha gaya
Pal bhar mein jaane kya kho gaya
MMm..Aasman zard hai
Aanhein bhi sard hai
Tan se saya juda ho gaya
Hmmm…
Pal bhar mein jaane kya kho gaya
Saanse ruk si gayi
Jism chil sa gaya
Tootey khwabon ke manzar pe tera jahaan chal diya
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Tu kahan chupa hai hume ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Yun na humse nazarein phira
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Tu kahan chupa hai hume ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Yun na humse nazarein phira
Noor e khudaaa ..
Noor e khudaaa…
Hoo nazarein karam,pharmahi de
Oo deen o dharam, ko jagaa hi de
Oo jalti huyi tanhaiyan
Roothi huyi parchahiyan
Kaisi udhi ye hawa
Chaya ye kaisa samaa
Hmmm rooh jum si gayi, waqt tham sa gaya
Tootey khwabon ke manzar pe tera jahaan chal diya
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Tu kahan chupa hai hume ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Yun na humse nazarein phira
Noor e khuda
Aaa aa
Aaaa aaa…
Ga ma pa ni.. sa da ..
Aaaa aaa..aaa aa….
Ujdhe se lamho ko aas teri
Zakhmi dilo kyun hai pyaas teri
Har dhadkan ko talaash teri
Tera milta nahin hai pataa
Khali aankhein khud se sawaal karein
Thamne ki cheek behaal kare
Behta lahu fariaad karein
Tera mitta chala hai nishaan
Rooh jum si gayi, waqt tham sa gaya
Tootey khwabon ke manzar pe tera jahaan chal diya
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Tu kahan chupa hai hume ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Yun na humse nazarein phira
Noor e khuda
Noor e khuda, Noor e khuda
Aaj kal tu kahan hai ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Aaj kal tu kahan hai ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Aaj kal tu kahan hai ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Aaj kal tu kahan hai ye bataa
Noor e khuda, noor e khuda
Kya ye sach hai ke tu hai humse khafa
Noor e khuda …
Though the list is a very long one but few best of them includes :
1- Arziyan .....Maula Maula from Delhi 6
2- Dil to Bacha Hai Ji ......Ishqiya
3- Sab Rishte Nate Hanske Tod Du ...
4- Aaj din chadiya ....LOVE aAJ kAL
5- Tujh me rab dikhta hai ...specially hansde hansde line ... Rabne Bana Di Jodi
6- Tujhe Dekh Dekh Jina....list is never ending and a very big one ....rest later
Friday, February 19, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Review- My name is Khan
He repairs almost anything, including irreparably damaged relationships.
In case you are frustrated with unchanged wrong things in your life , in your society , in your city or country , this film will certainly ask to or rather inspires you to change eerything for good . You get a very beautiful message out of this movie more like Chak De .....but yes the film is more intense compared to Chak de . I personally feel i will be a changed person and certainly change my attitude toward people , I will try to help them as much as i can .
I know a person very closely who has got the same illness like SRK in the film , SRK showed that we need to show more respect towrds such people . The film is a great one , it gives the lesson of unity and one world ...and ha ...duniya me sirf do tarah ke insan hote hai ..ik ache and dusre kharab ......koi dharam , majhab na kabhi kharab hua hai or na hi hoga .
Talking about the action aspect , SRK has done a fair job , Kajol this time has shown the maturity without lossing her real charm and innocence . To be honest with you i was inspired by Mama jenee as well but the charactor which i think has changed the film was the wife of Jimmy in the filem as she was the one who got the name of the illness and took SRK to the doc and the way she calls SRK in the film ....Bhai .......bought tears in my eyes as well ....this was because of the personal reason .
But this film about damaged lives needs no repairing. My Name Is Khan is a flawless work, as perfect in content, tone and treatment as any film can get. The ‘message’ of humanism doesn’t come across in long pedantic speeches. The film’s longest monologue has our damaged but exceptionally coherent hero Rizwan telling a congregation of Black American church-goers about his dead son. And if that moment moves us to tears it’s because the emotions are neither manipulative nor flamboyant. It isn’t because Rizwan’s son Sameer perished in a racial attack. It isn’t even because Shah Rukh Khan delivers his life’s best performance in that moment of reckoning. Rizwan’s heartfelt rhetorics are not about changing the world with words. Born with a physical disability this is a man on the move. And boy, does he move! In what is possibly the most touching testament on film to the spirit of world peace and humanism (lofty ideals to achieve in the massy-masala format but see how pitch-perfect Johar gets it) Rizwan takes off on a picaresque journey to meet the US President with a message that initially strikes us as being too naïve for reiteration. But look closer. Some of life’s basic values have been lost in recent times. Writer Shibani Bathija’s seamless screenplay, arguably the best piece of writing since Rakeysh Mehra’s Rang De Basanti, recovers that long-lost message of loving your fellow human being unconditionally without getting trite around the edges. Sex and politics have nothing to do with it. It’s okay to hug your neighbour. First and foremost, My Name Is Khan is a wonderful story told with a flair and flourish that leave a lingering impact on the viewer. Almost every frame is composed with a mix of mind and heart creating an irresistible progression of moments so tender and forcible we’re simply swept away in the tides of the tale about a very special man who undertakes a very special journey. My Names Is Khan opens with Rizwan boarding an American flight, being frisked after a suspicious co-passenger hears him chanting religious passages. Before we begin to suspect this to be one more film on the persecution of the innocent Muslim, Karan Johar doing a smart and slick spin away from his trademark content and style, takes his hero on a journey that crosses several emotional, political and geographical borders before stopping with breathless integrity to say, life doesn’t go on... it changes colours and textures with the moral values that the individual chooses to confer on the life given to him. Superbly scripted by Bathija with pithy outstanding dialogues by Niranjan Iyenger, the film is edited by Deepa Bhatia with just that much amount of time allotted to the character’s and their thought processes to make them appear warm humane and tangible without over-punctuating their presence. To take one example, when Rizwan's brother (Jimmy Shergil, making the best of his brief but comprehensive role) quietly tells his lovely wife (Sonia Jehan) to not wear her veil to work in the US because God would understand, the scene with beautiful economy conveys the couple’s mutual empathy and determination to override the hatred outside their home. Karan Johar, always a master of overstatement, for once holds back. The silences in My Name Is Khan often speak far more eloquently than the spoken words. The relationships that the inarticulate Rizwan forms during the course of his life from child to husband to father to a political individual are contoured with a luminous lack of laboriousness. Whether it’s young Rizwan (played sensitively by Tanay Cheda) and his mother (Zarina Wahab, memorable in her brief appearance) or much later, Rizvan and his step-son (brilliant young discovery Yuvaan Makar), the traditional relationships are done-up in striking but subtle shades. We look at every moment in the film (even the clumsily-done flood sequences) as special because they are part of a vision that goes far beyond the real of hop-in-hop-out entertainment. The director swerves out of his comfort zone without the sound of screechy wheels. Karan Johar’s unconventional take on modern marital mores in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna faltered due to over-statement. In Khan he doesn’t try hard. The characters and their predicament as America gets increasingly suspicious and hostile about the Muslim presence, are portrayed with a lightness of touch that lights up almost every sequence. Then there is Kajol to provide the kind of natural light to every frame that no amount of artificial light can supplement. As Rizwan’s Hindu wife Mandira, with a smart, intelligent son, she has a distinctly secondary role to Shah Rukh Khan. She leaves a lasting impact as a divorcee and later an angry wife and grieving mother, as only Kajol can. The scenes of courtship between Mandira and Rizwan work so beautifully because of the exceptional chemistry between the two actors. More than a strong political statement and moving message of peace My Name Is A Khan is a love story of a man who can’t express his love through words, only deeds. This is a film that Frank Capra would’ve made if he had lived long enough to see 9/11 happen. The narration is carpeted with virtues, both invisible and visible. Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography captures the incandescent soul of the pure-hearted protagonist as effectively as the stubbornly unbroken spirit of unknown passersby on the streets of America. Rizwan, we are told, is petrified of the yellow colour. The offending colour recurs with just a hint of insistence. Rizwan wears shocking pink because he hears Mandira’s buddy (Navneet Nishan) say it suits her. He proposes marriage and sex (in that order) at the most inopportune moments. He suggests Mandira have her dinner when she’s traumatized by grief. He wears his dead son’s shoes as he takes off to meet the President. Rizwan moves by his clock. But his tale is timeless. Shah Rukh Khan doesn’t PLAY Rizwan. He becomes one with the character’s subconscious, portraying the man and his spirit with strokes of an invisible paintbrush until what we see is what we cannot forget. Undoubtedly, this is Shah Rukh’s best performance ever. This is no ordinary hero. And My Name Is Khan is no ordinary film. Long after the wary-of-physical-touch Rizwan has finally shaken hands with President Obama, long after the heat and dust of racial and communal hatred has settled down the core of humanism that the film secretes stays with you. Yes, we finally know what they mean by a feelgood film.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Be a Super - Improvisor
Are you are struggling with motivating employees to get the most productivity? If so, then you are probably wondering how to become a "motivating supervisor". Your employees can find motivation if you are proactive in your approach. Particularly during a tough economy, supervisors and businesses must recognize employees for their hard work.
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Motivating Employees: How to Become a Motivating Supervisor
Have you ever walked into the office and all of your employees stop talking and quickly go back to work. Were they slacking off until their supervisor was there? Is it simply your presence that is creating motivating employees? Even if it's then own work ethic, when employees are not motivated, can you guess whom they blame - their supervisor.
If you are struggling with motivating employees to get the most productivity, you are probably wondering how to become a motivating supervisor. Your employees can find you motivating if you are proactive in your approach. Particularly during these tough economic times, supervisors and businesses must recognize employees for their hard work.
If you can simply reaffirm the value of your employees during difficult times for your organization, then you won't lose your best people when times are bright. Supervisors have struggled in this area for years. Don't be discouraged; motivating is a skill that can be learned.
Here are a few strategies to ponder.
Provide a nurturing environment for your team.
If you are only concerned about production and not about the people who can produce, chances are, they will not produce. Motivating employees properly means caring for more than just bottom-line results; this can often present a problem for you.
Many supervisors believe that it is not their job to nurture their employees - that nurturing is something that should be done at home. Those supervisors are wrong. When employees feel genuinely cared for, then you are motivating employees to increase productivity. Being a motivating supervisor means assessing what your employees need.
Some people may just need to work with other people who care about them. However, as your organization grows you may need to consider providing counselling or pastoral care. There is a direct correlation between the health of your employees and the health of your organization.
Encourage personal growth.
This is important for you and your employees. This can be difficult for many motivating supervisors because it is not something that can be measured. Have employees write down their thoughts in the following areas:
First, their priorities and what is important to them
Second, their goals and dreams for the future
Third, how you as a supervisor can assist in motivating employees to meet each of their goals
In addition, offer training and development in areas that will improve personal growth as well as increase their effectiveness. Imagine you have an employee who is always late and they tell you it is always because of family issues. If he writes down that his family is a priority, but has a goal to be at work on time, then perhaps you can facilitate by enrolling him in a time management course. This will help him meet the needs of his family, and get him to work on time.
When employees feel good about themselves, they will perform. Encouraging personal growth is imperative for motivating employees.
Empower your employees.
Have you ever had a supervisor who spends all day looking over your shoulder? Perhaps you have been that supervisor. Is that really a way to be a motivating supervisor who reaches his/her employees?
Employees need to be trained, and then empowered to make good decisions. Trusting the people that report to you can help towards motivating employees to take on more responsibilities. When people take on more responsibility they begin to take ownership. This is a good thing. People do not like to be micromanaged. If you have provided the proper training, trust your employees to use it.
A top-down method.
These are some of the essential strategies and skills possessed by a motivating supervisor. It is up to you to start being proactive and implementing methods towards motivating employees. Always remember that motivation is a top-down method.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Motivating Employees: How to Become a Motivating Supervisor
Have you ever walked into the office and all of your employees stop talking and quickly go back to work. Were they slacking off until their supervisor was there? Is it simply your presence that is creating motivating employees? Even if it's then own work ethic, when employees are not motivated, can you guess whom they blame - their supervisor.
If you are struggling with motivating employees to get the most productivity, you are probably wondering how to become a motivating supervisor. Your employees can find you motivating if you are proactive in your approach. Particularly during these tough economic times, supervisors and businesses must recognize employees for their hard work.
If you can simply reaffirm the value of your employees during difficult times for your organization, then you won't lose your best people when times are bright. Supervisors have struggled in this area for years. Don't be discouraged; motivating is a skill that can be learned.
Here are a few strategies to ponder.
Provide a nurturing environment for your team.
If you are only concerned about production and not about the people who can produce, chances are, they will not produce. Motivating employees properly means caring for more than just bottom-line results; this can often present a problem for you.
Many supervisors believe that it is not their job to nurture their employees - that nurturing is something that should be done at home. Those supervisors are wrong. When employees feel genuinely cared for, then you are motivating employees to increase productivity. Being a motivating supervisor means assessing what your employees need.
Some people may just need to work with other people who care about them. However, as your organization grows you may need to consider providing counselling or pastoral care. There is a direct correlation between the health of your employees and the health of your organization.
Encourage personal growth.
This is important for you and your employees. This can be difficult for many motivating supervisors because it is not something that can be measured. Have employees write down their thoughts in the following areas:
First, their priorities and what is important to them
Second, their goals and dreams for the future
Third, how you as a supervisor can assist in motivating employees to meet each of their goals
In addition, offer training and development in areas that will improve personal growth as well as increase their effectiveness. Imagine you have an employee who is always late and they tell you it is always because of family issues. If he writes down that his family is a priority, but has a goal to be at work on time, then perhaps you can facilitate by enrolling him in a time management course. This will help him meet the needs of his family, and get him to work on time.
When employees feel good about themselves, they will perform. Encouraging personal growth is imperative for motivating employees.
Empower your employees.
Have you ever had a supervisor who spends all day looking over your shoulder? Perhaps you have been that supervisor. Is that really a way to be a motivating supervisor who reaches his/her employees?
Employees need to be trained, and then empowered to make good decisions. Trusting the people that report to you can help towards motivating employees to take on more responsibilities. When people take on more responsibility they begin to take ownership. This is a good thing. People do not like to be micromanaged. If you have provided the proper training, trust your employees to use it.
A top-down method.
These are some of the essential strategies and skills possessed by a motivating supervisor. It is up to you to start being proactive and implementing methods towards motivating employees. Always remember that motivation is a top-down method.
How can I motivate employees?
The answer is not so simple. Motivation comes from within, from a person's own psyche, the innermost recesses of the soul, secret desires and deep-rooted needs which motivate, "push" us towards their satisfaction. What a manager can do is create an environment in which employees can feel motivated.
Many people go through life obscuring their intrinsic nature, unaware of their "true calling", their "motivations". People abandoned early dreams to deal with life's realities and vicissitudes. They had to conform to society, family, the corporate world and other circles, each of which dictates its code of conduct: how to think, feel, eat, speak, behave and dress. Their true selves disappear, get buried. It is only by triggering and bringing out into the light people's intrinsic nature, gifts and secret desires that we give them the opportunity to feel motivated. This is no attempt at playing the psychologist, but a rough explanation of some basic precepts.
However deep and complex human nature is, all humans share basic needs that must be addressed, ranging from shelter to more sophisticated drives. In his hierarchy of needs, Abraham Maslow shows the gradual escalation of workers' drives and motivations in this list ( from bottom to top)
Self-Actualization
I
Ego
I
Social Needs
I
Safety Needs
I
Physiological Needs
----------------------------------
Applied to workers, it translates as follows:
Physiological Needs
Basic physical needs: the ability to acquire food, shelter, clothing and other basics to survive
Safety Needs
A safe and non-threatening work environment, job security, safe equipment and installations
Social Needs
Contact and friendship with fellow-workers, social activities and opportunities
Ego
Recognition, acknowledgment, rewards
Self-Actualization
Realizing one's dreams, using one's gifts, talents and potential.
Once basic needs are satisfied, people want more. Progress is the essence of human nature. When people's basic needs are addressed, their mind and soul, free of threat and insecurity, open up to some of their innermost drives. People are often confused between "superficial wants" and "inner drives." Some individuals are in pursuit of material luxury, while others pursue their thirst for knowledge, artistic expression, a need to lead or help others, play the hero or shine in society.
We cannot play the role of psychologists or psychoanalysts. However, it benefits the company if we discover who every worker is, his/her drives, special gifts, abilities, hopes and plans for the future. If we take time to discover this, understand what makes this person "tick", we will be able to utilize this worker in the position which is the best "fit", a step ahead towards employee motivation. We must also clarify management values, design and implement effective policies and techniques.
Every employee has a need for self-expression, entertains plans for professional development and career advancement, wishes to be accepted as "family member", feel respect towards management and pride in his/her work, receive acknowledgment and reward, be listened to and trusted. Through strategic communications (including meetings) our duty is to share with employees company goals, market, industry and business information and future plans, and invite employees to give feedback. We must learn how to place people in a role where they can use their abilities and make progress towards the realization of personal goals. Misplacements can cause a company substantial financial loss due to turnover, accidents, lawsuits, rebates, refunds, loss of customers and sales.
We must learn how to create a corporate culture and a supportive work environment. This is done through leadership and management excellence, a human approach, effective human resources strategies, "positive discipline", fair and just treatment to all, clearly defined policies, career and personal development training programs (including cross-training and job rotation), career pathing, organizational communications, tools to facilitate communication, team assignments, reward programs, objective appraisals, adequate pay, benefits and company activities.
It is important for employees to know that management is aware of their existence, recognizes them, remembers their names and greets them. Managers who fail to greet employees or respond to greetings lead to a high degree of de-motivation, lack of trust, and disloyalty.
Individuals and departments need to be thanked for their hard work and special feats and be rewarded for contributions. Managers who encourage employees to use initiative and set higher challenges for themselves achieve more positive results than those who cause employees to compete with each other. Personal accomplishments at the expense of others defeats team-work and negatively affects service to customers.
Managers can win over employees' loyalty and best input by treating them as "partners", showing care, listening to them and sharing.
Can this be easily accomplished? When planned with sincerity and care, it most certainly can!
Many people go through life obscuring their intrinsic nature, unaware of their "true calling", their "motivations". People abandoned early dreams to deal with life's realities and vicissitudes. They had to conform to society, family, the corporate world and other circles, each of which dictates its code of conduct: how to think, feel, eat, speak, behave and dress. Their true selves disappear, get buried. It is only by triggering and bringing out into the light people's intrinsic nature, gifts and secret desires that we give them the opportunity to feel motivated. This is no attempt at playing the psychologist, but a rough explanation of some basic precepts.
However deep and complex human nature is, all humans share basic needs that must be addressed, ranging from shelter to more sophisticated drives. In his hierarchy of needs, Abraham Maslow shows the gradual escalation of workers' drives and motivations in this list ( from bottom to top)
Self-Actualization
I
Ego
I
Social Needs
I
Safety Needs
I
Physiological Needs
----------------------------------
Applied to workers, it translates as follows:
Physiological Needs
Basic physical needs: the ability to acquire food, shelter, clothing and other basics to survive
Safety Needs
A safe and non-threatening work environment, job security, safe equipment and installations
Social Needs
Contact and friendship with fellow-workers, social activities and opportunities
Ego
Recognition, acknowledgment, rewards
Self-Actualization
Realizing one's dreams, using one's gifts, talents and potential.
Once basic needs are satisfied, people want more. Progress is the essence of human nature. When people's basic needs are addressed, their mind and soul, free of threat and insecurity, open up to some of their innermost drives. People are often confused between "superficial wants" and "inner drives." Some individuals are in pursuit of material luxury, while others pursue their thirst for knowledge, artistic expression, a need to lead or help others, play the hero or shine in society.
We cannot play the role of psychologists or psychoanalysts. However, it benefits the company if we discover who every worker is, his/her drives, special gifts, abilities, hopes and plans for the future. If we take time to discover this, understand what makes this person "tick", we will be able to utilize this worker in the position which is the best "fit", a step ahead towards employee motivation. We must also clarify management values, design and implement effective policies and techniques.
Every employee has a need for self-expression, entertains plans for professional development and career advancement, wishes to be accepted as "family member", feel respect towards management and pride in his/her work, receive acknowledgment and reward, be listened to and trusted. Through strategic communications (including meetings) our duty is to share with employees company goals, market, industry and business information and future plans, and invite employees to give feedback. We must learn how to place people in a role where they can use their abilities and make progress towards the realization of personal goals. Misplacements can cause a company substantial financial loss due to turnover, accidents, lawsuits, rebates, refunds, loss of customers and sales.
We must learn how to create a corporate culture and a supportive work environment. This is done through leadership and management excellence, a human approach, effective human resources strategies, "positive discipline", fair and just treatment to all, clearly defined policies, career and personal development training programs (including cross-training and job rotation), career pathing, organizational communications, tools to facilitate communication, team assignments, reward programs, objective appraisals, adequate pay, benefits and company activities.
It is important for employees to know that management is aware of their existence, recognizes them, remembers their names and greets them. Managers who fail to greet employees or respond to greetings lead to a high degree of de-motivation, lack of trust, and disloyalty.
Individuals and departments need to be thanked for their hard work and special feats and be rewarded for contributions. Managers who encourage employees to use initiative and set higher challenges for themselves achieve more positive results than those who cause employees to compete with each other. Personal accomplishments at the expense of others defeats team-work and negatively affects service to customers.
Managers can win over employees' loyalty and best input by treating them as "partners", showing care, listening to them and sharing.
Can this be easily accomplished? When planned with sincerity and care, it most certainly can!
Basics About Employee Motivation
Clearing Up Common Myths About Employee Motivation
The topic of motivating employees is extremely important to managers and supervisors. Despite the important of the topic, several myths persist -- especially among new managers and supervisors. Before looking at what management can do to support the motivation of employees, it's important first to clear up these common myths.
1. Myth #1 -- "I can motivate people"
Not really -- they have to motivate themselves. You can't motivate people anymore than you can empower them. Employees have to motivate and empower themselves. However, you can set up an environment where they best motivate and empower themselves. The key is knowing how to set up the environment for each of your employees.
2. Myth #2 -- "Money is a good motivator"
Not really. Certain things like money, a nice office and job security can help people from becoming less motivated, but they usually don't help people to become more motivated. A key goal is to understand the motivations of each of your employees.
3. Myth #3 -- "Fear is a damn good motivator"
Fear is a great motivator -- for a very short time. That's why a lot of yelling from the boss won't seem to "light a spark under employees" for a very long time.
4. Myth #4 -- "I know what motivates me, so I know what motivates my employees"
Not really. Different people are motivated by different things. I may be greatly motivated by earning time away from my job to spend more time my family. You might be motivated much more by recognition of a job well done. People are not motivated by the same things. Again, a key goal is to understand what motivates each of your employees.
5. Myth #5 -- "Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance"
Research shows this isn't necessarily true at all. Increased job satisfaction does not necessarily mean increased job performance. If the goals of the organization are not aligned with the goals of employees, then employees aren't effectively working toward the mission of the organization.
6. Myth #6 -- "I can't comprehend employee motivation -- it's a science"
Nah. Not true. There are some very basic steps you can take that will go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate themselves toward increased performance in their jobs. (More about these steps is provided later on in this article.)
Basic Principles to Remember
1. Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself
It's amazing how, if you hate your job, it seems like everyone else does, too. If you are very stressed out, it seems like everyone else is, too. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you're enthusiastic about your job, it's much easier for others to be, too. Also, if you're doing a good job of taking care of yourself and your own job, you'll have much clearer perspective on how others are doing in theirs.
A great place to start learning about motivation is to start understanding your own motivations. The key to helping to motivate your employees is to understand what motivates them. So what motivates you? Consider, for example, time with family, recognition, a job well done, service, learning, etc. How is your job configured to support your own motivations? What can you do to better motivate yourself?
2. Always work to align goals of the organization with goals of employees
As mentioned above, employees can be all fired up about their work and be working very hard. However, if the results of their work don't contribute to the goals of the organization, then the organization is not any better off than if the employees were sitting on their hands -- maybe worse off! Therefore, it's critical that managers and supervisors know what they want from their employees. These preferences should be worded in terms of goals for the organization. Identifying the goals for the organization is usually done during strategic planning. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees (various steps are suggested below), ensure that employees have strong input to identifying their goals and that these goals are aligned with goals of the organization. (Goals should be worded to be "SMARTER". More about this later on below.)
3. Key to supporting the motivation of your employees is understanding what motivates each of them
Each person is motivated by different things. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees, they should first include finding out what it is that really motivates each of your employees. You can find this out by asking them, listening to them and observing them. (More about this later on below.)
4. Recognize that supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task
Organizations change all the time, as do people. Indeed, it is an ongoing process to sustain an environment where each employee can strongly motivate themselves. If you look at sustaining employee motivation as an ongoing process, then you'll be much more fulfilled and motivated yourself.
5. Support employee motivation by using organizational systems (for example, policies and procedures) -- don't just count on good intentions
Don't just count on cultivating strong interpersonal relationships with employees to help motivate them. The nature of these relationships can change greatly, for example, during times of stress. Instead, use reliable and comprehensive systems in the workplace to help motivate employees. For example, establish compensation systems, employee performance systems, organizational policies and procedures, etc., to support employee motivation. Also, establishing various systems and structures helps ensure clear understanding and equitable treatment of employees.
Steps You Can Take
The following specific steps can help you go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate themselves in your organization.
1. Do more than read this article -- apply what you're reading here
This maxim is true when reading any management publication.
2. Briefly write down the motivational factors that sustain you and what you can do to sustain them
This little bit of "motivation planning" can give you strong perspective on how to think about supporting the motivations of your employees.
3. Make of list of three to five things that motivate each of your employees
Read the checklist of possible motivators. Fill out the list yourself for each of your employees and then have each of your employees fill out the list for themselves. Compare your answers to theirs. Recognize the differences between your impression of what you think is important to them and what they think is important to them. Then meet with each of your employees to discuss what they think are the most important motivational factors to them. Lastly, take some time alone to write down how you will modify your approaches with each employee to ensure their motivational factors are being met. (NOTE: This may seem like a "soft, touchy-feely exercise" to you. If it does, then talk to a peer or your boss about it. Much of what's important in management is based very much on "soft, touchy-feely exercises". Learn to become more comfortable with them. The place to start is to recognize their importance.)
4. Work with each employee to ensure their motivational factors are taken into consideration in your reward systems
For example, their jobs might be redesigned to be more fulfilling. You might find more means to provide recognition, if that is important to them. You might develop a personnel policy that rewards employees with more family time, etc.
5. Have one-on-one meetings with each employee
Employees are motivated more by your care and concern for them than by your attention to them. Get to know your employees, their families, their favorite foods, names of their children, etc. This can sound manipulative -- and it will be if not done sincerely. However, even if you sincerely want to get to know each of your employees, it may not happen unless you intentionally set aside time to be with each of them.
6. Cultivate strong skills in delegation
Delegation includes conveying responsibility and authority to your employees so they can carry out certain tasks. However, you leave it up to your employees to decide how they will carry out the tasks. Skills in delegation can free up a great deal of time for managers and supervisors. It also allows employees to take a stronger role in their jobs, which usually means more fulfillment and motivation in their jobs, as well.
7. Reward it when you see it
A critical lesson for new managers and supervisors is to learn to focus on employee behaviors, not on employee personalities. Performance in the workplace should be based on behaviors toward goals, not on popularity of employees. You can get in a great deal of trouble (legally, morally and interpersonally) for focusing only on how you feel about your employees rather than on what you're seeing with your eyeballs.
8. Reward it soon after you see it
This helps to reinforce the notion that you highly prefer the behaviors that you're currently seeing from your employees. Often, the shorter the time between an employee's action and your reward for the action, the clearer it is to the employee that you highly prefer that action.
9. Implement at least the basic principles of performance management
Good performance management includes identifying goals, measures to indicate if the goals are being met or not, ongoing attention and feedback about measures toward the goals, and corrective actions to redirect activities back toward achieving the goals when necessary. Performance management can focus on organizations, groups, processes in the organization and employees.
10. Establish goals that are SMARTER
SMARTER goals are: specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, timely, extending of capabilities, and rewarding to those involved.
11. Clearly convey how employee results contribute to organizational results
Employees often feel strong fulfillment from realizing that they're actually making a difference. This realization often requires clear communication about organizational goals, employee progress toward those goals and celebration when the goals are met.
12. Celebrate achievements
This critical step is often forgotten. New managers and supervisors are often focused on a getting "a lot done". This usually means identifying and solving problems. Experienced managers come to understand that acknowledging and celebrating a solution to a problem can be every bit as important as the solution itself. Without ongoing acknowledgement of success, employees become frustrated, skeptical and even cynical about efforts in the organization.
13. Let employees hear from their customers (internal or external)
Let employees hear customers proclaim the benefits of the efforts of the employee . For example, if the employee is working to keep internal computer systems running for other employees (internal customers) in the organization, then have other employees express their gratitude to the employee. If an employee is providing a product or service to external customers, then bring in a customer to express their appreciation to the employee.
14. Admit to yourself (and to an appropriate someone else) if you don't like an employee --
Managers and supervisors are people. It's not unusual to just not like someone who works for you. That someone could, for example, look like an uncle you don't like. In this case, admit to yourself that you don't like the employee. Then talk to someone else who is appropriate to hear about your distaste for the employee, for example, a peer, your boss, your spouse, etc. Indicate to the appropriate person that you want to explore what it is that you don't like about the employee and would like to come to a clearer perception of how you can accomplish a positive working relationship with the employee. It often helps a great deal just to talk out loud about how you feel and get someone else's opinion about the situation. As noted above, if you continue to focus on what you see about employee performance, you'll go a long way toward ensuring that your treatment of employees remains fair and equitable.
The topic of motivating employees is extremely important to managers and supervisors. Despite the important of the topic, several myths persist -- especially among new managers and supervisors. Before looking at what management can do to support the motivation of employees, it's important first to clear up these common myths.
1. Myth #1 -- "I can motivate people"
Not really -- they have to motivate themselves. You can't motivate people anymore than you can empower them. Employees have to motivate and empower themselves. However, you can set up an environment where they best motivate and empower themselves. The key is knowing how to set up the environment for each of your employees.
2. Myth #2 -- "Money is a good motivator"
Not really. Certain things like money, a nice office and job security can help people from becoming less motivated, but they usually don't help people to become more motivated. A key goal is to understand the motivations of each of your employees.
3. Myth #3 -- "Fear is a damn good motivator"
Fear is a great motivator -- for a very short time. That's why a lot of yelling from the boss won't seem to "light a spark under employees" for a very long time.
4. Myth #4 -- "I know what motivates me, so I know what motivates my employees"
Not really. Different people are motivated by different things. I may be greatly motivated by earning time away from my job to spend more time my family. You might be motivated much more by recognition of a job well done. People are not motivated by the same things. Again, a key goal is to understand what motivates each of your employees.
5. Myth #5 -- "Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance"
Research shows this isn't necessarily true at all. Increased job satisfaction does not necessarily mean increased job performance. If the goals of the organization are not aligned with the goals of employees, then employees aren't effectively working toward the mission of the organization.
6. Myth #6 -- "I can't comprehend employee motivation -- it's a science"
Nah. Not true. There are some very basic steps you can take that will go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate themselves toward increased performance in their jobs. (More about these steps is provided later on in this article.)
Basic Principles to Remember
1. Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself
It's amazing how, if you hate your job, it seems like everyone else does, too. If you are very stressed out, it seems like everyone else is, too. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you're enthusiastic about your job, it's much easier for others to be, too. Also, if you're doing a good job of taking care of yourself and your own job, you'll have much clearer perspective on how others are doing in theirs.
A great place to start learning about motivation is to start understanding your own motivations. The key to helping to motivate your employees is to understand what motivates them. So what motivates you? Consider, for example, time with family, recognition, a job well done, service, learning, etc. How is your job configured to support your own motivations? What can you do to better motivate yourself?
2. Always work to align goals of the organization with goals of employees
As mentioned above, employees can be all fired up about their work and be working very hard. However, if the results of their work don't contribute to the goals of the organization, then the organization is not any better off than if the employees were sitting on their hands -- maybe worse off! Therefore, it's critical that managers and supervisors know what they want from their employees. These preferences should be worded in terms of goals for the organization. Identifying the goals for the organization is usually done during strategic planning. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees (various steps are suggested below), ensure that employees have strong input to identifying their goals and that these goals are aligned with goals of the organization. (Goals should be worded to be "SMARTER". More about this later on below.)
3. Key to supporting the motivation of your employees is understanding what motivates each of them
Each person is motivated by different things. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees, they should first include finding out what it is that really motivates each of your employees. You can find this out by asking them, listening to them and observing them. (More about this later on below.)
4. Recognize that supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task
Organizations change all the time, as do people. Indeed, it is an ongoing process to sustain an environment where each employee can strongly motivate themselves. If you look at sustaining employee motivation as an ongoing process, then you'll be much more fulfilled and motivated yourself.
5. Support employee motivation by using organizational systems (for example, policies and procedures) -- don't just count on good intentions
Don't just count on cultivating strong interpersonal relationships with employees to help motivate them. The nature of these relationships can change greatly, for example, during times of stress. Instead, use reliable and comprehensive systems in the workplace to help motivate employees. For example, establish compensation systems, employee performance systems, organizational policies and procedures, etc., to support employee motivation. Also, establishing various systems and structures helps ensure clear understanding and equitable treatment of employees.
Steps You Can Take
The following specific steps can help you go a long way toward supporting your employees to motivate themselves in your organization.
1. Do more than read this article -- apply what you're reading here
This maxim is true when reading any management publication.
2. Briefly write down the motivational factors that sustain you and what you can do to sustain them
This little bit of "motivation planning" can give you strong perspective on how to think about supporting the motivations of your employees.
3. Make of list of three to five things that motivate each of your employees
Read the checklist of possible motivators. Fill out the list yourself for each of your employees and then have each of your employees fill out the list for themselves. Compare your answers to theirs. Recognize the differences between your impression of what you think is important to them and what they think is important to them. Then meet with each of your employees to discuss what they think are the most important motivational factors to them. Lastly, take some time alone to write down how you will modify your approaches with each employee to ensure their motivational factors are being met. (NOTE: This may seem like a "soft, touchy-feely exercise" to you. If it does, then talk to a peer or your boss about it. Much of what's important in management is based very much on "soft, touchy-feely exercises". Learn to become more comfortable with them. The place to start is to recognize their importance.)
4. Work with each employee to ensure their motivational factors are taken into consideration in your reward systems
For example, their jobs might be redesigned to be more fulfilling. You might find more means to provide recognition, if that is important to them. You might develop a personnel policy that rewards employees with more family time, etc.
5. Have one-on-one meetings with each employee
Employees are motivated more by your care and concern for them than by your attention to them. Get to know your employees, their families, their favorite foods, names of their children, etc. This can sound manipulative -- and it will be if not done sincerely. However, even if you sincerely want to get to know each of your employees, it may not happen unless you intentionally set aside time to be with each of them.
6. Cultivate strong skills in delegation
Delegation includes conveying responsibility and authority to your employees so they can carry out certain tasks. However, you leave it up to your employees to decide how they will carry out the tasks. Skills in delegation can free up a great deal of time for managers and supervisors. It also allows employees to take a stronger role in their jobs, which usually means more fulfillment and motivation in their jobs, as well.
7. Reward it when you see it
A critical lesson for new managers and supervisors is to learn to focus on employee behaviors, not on employee personalities. Performance in the workplace should be based on behaviors toward goals, not on popularity of employees. You can get in a great deal of trouble (legally, morally and interpersonally) for focusing only on how you feel about your employees rather than on what you're seeing with your eyeballs.
8. Reward it soon after you see it
This helps to reinforce the notion that you highly prefer the behaviors that you're currently seeing from your employees. Often, the shorter the time between an employee's action and your reward for the action, the clearer it is to the employee that you highly prefer that action.
9. Implement at least the basic principles of performance management
Good performance management includes identifying goals, measures to indicate if the goals are being met or not, ongoing attention and feedback about measures toward the goals, and corrective actions to redirect activities back toward achieving the goals when necessary. Performance management can focus on organizations, groups, processes in the organization and employees.
10. Establish goals that are SMARTER
SMARTER goals are: specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic, timely, extending of capabilities, and rewarding to those involved.
11. Clearly convey how employee results contribute to organizational results
Employees often feel strong fulfillment from realizing that they're actually making a difference. This realization often requires clear communication about organizational goals, employee progress toward those goals and celebration when the goals are met.
12. Celebrate achievements
This critical step is often forgotten. New managers and supervisors are often focused on a getting "a lot done". This usually means identifying and solving problems. Experienced managers come to understand that acknowledging and celebrating a solution to a problem can be every bit as important as the solution itself. Without ongoing acknowledgement of success, employees become frustrated, skeptical and even cynical about efforts in the organization.
13. Let employees hear from their customers (internal or external)
Let employees hear customers proclaim the benefits of the efforts of the employee . For example, if the employee is working to keep internal computer systems running for other employees (internal customers) in the organization, then have other employees express their gratitude to the employee. If an employee is providing a product or service to external customers, then bring in a customer to express their appreciation to the employee.
14. Admit to yourself (and to an appropriate someone else) if you don't like an employee --
Managers and supervisors are people. It's not unusual to just not like someone who works for you. That someone could, for example, look like an uncle you don't like. In this case, admit to yourself that you don't like the employee. Then talk to someone else who is appropriate to hear about your distaste for the employee, for example, a peer, your boss, your spouse, etc. Indicate to the appropriate person that you want to explore what it is that you don't like about the employee and would like to come to a clearer perception of how you can accomplish a positive working relationship with the employee. It often helps a great deal just to talk out loud about how you feel and get someone else's opinion about the situation. As noted above, if you continue to focus on what you see about employee performance, you'll go a long way toward ensuring that your treatment of employees remains fair and equitable.
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