Merit Solutions Blog
A Manager’s Power Sources
Managers have multiple sources of power to manage change and develop organizations. Many organizations, though, have power vacuums because managers do not take up the power that is rightfully theirs. Power has become a dirty word but the reality is that organizations are arenas of power and influence. Managers by their very position have organizational power and the responsibility to use it for employee welfare and achievement of organizational goals.
Employee Motivation: Meet Three Basic Employee Needs
Employee motivation is considerably enhanced when you meet three basic employee needs – expectations, resources and feedback. You can go a long way to improving employee motivation if you clarify your work expectations, provide employees with the resources they need to do the job and give timely, accurate feedback on work performance.
Poor Performance: Managers are Not Exempt
Managerial inaction can work against the espoused excellence values of an organization. Managers are often unaware of the impact of their behavior. Poor performance by managers is more often an issue of omission than overt actions. You need to be aware, as a manager, of the message that your inaction may convey.
Personal Characteristics Required to Change Organizational Culture
The pervading culture in your organization has developed over time and will persist in your work group unless you work actively to change it. What you focus on, pay attention to, and spend time on, communicates your values and influences work group culture. As a manager, you need to be consistent, congruent, persistent and resilient to change workplace culture.
Manage Stress: Walk on the Bright Side
You don’t have to look far to see a list of the physical benefits of walking. Walking stimulates your body’s systems – your cardiovascular, immune and respiratory systems. There are many psychological benefits from walking as well – it gives you a lift, strengthens positive thinking and helps ward off depression. Walking can clear the mind and provide new insights into the way forward for you as a manager – it is a simple but effective means of stress management.