Introduction
Employee performance is the yard-stick to a successful business development. It stems from the strong belief and determination that a leader can instill in his or her workforce. Only those with exceptional influence can change the way an organization runs. A leader or manager has an active role to play in the integration of the organization’s operation and success, and this is where a leader of men can make the difference. It is the leader who has to take the responsibility to make his/her team members performs to meet organizational goals and this demands a lot. It is because of the responsibility and the freedom to innovate that makes the duty of a leader most enviable and desirable.
Body
A successful leader is one who can motivate, support and reward those who perform to their best ability. It is only through sheer determination and proper man-management programs, can a leader can change the fortune of an organization; be it in service or in manufacturing. It a nutshell, leadership is about professional man-management.
It is no different at US Cellular, where leaders set forth the highest of standards based on integrity, responsibility and values to create a dynamic organization of committed workforce and strong results. A leader identifies him/herself with their workforce and look to set an example by being the role model for others to imitate. Many employees are scared to accept the fact that they are unable to perform a particular task. They find it very difficult to say ‘I can’t do it’, or ‘I’m not sure I can do it’, out of fear. A leader may find this a problem to handle as it could have severe repercussion on service or manufacturing. It is here that a leader’s strategic thinking and execution of plans are introduced to bring out the best from their employees.
According to Thad B. Green (Ch.3, p.55, 1992), a leader will be able to determine the weaknesses and strengths of his/her workforce and overcome any effort-performance problems by introducing skill building exercises like:
- Training and working simultaneously.
- Combining the work experience with coaching.
- Combining training, work, and work experience together.
Effective communication is the borderline to a good relationship between a leader and employees. It is also an essential tool in relation to training. Ultimately, a leader’s idea to impart training and working as a team becomes utmost important in the context of enhancing productivity and quality work. Thus, effective leadership becomes important to the success and development of a dynamic organization.
Job enrichment is a means of getting employees to perform tasks efficiently. And just how is this achieved? It’s one way of motivating your workforce. Imagine employees performing the same routine day in and day out. So monotonous does the job become that workers find their work dull and boring. To overcome such a situation, the leader can take the initiative to manipulate the work scenario by rotating the work among the employees to make it interesting, challenging and complex. The urge to know more and perform different tasks will only get them to work. The motivation elucidates workers:
- The chance to test themselves and use their full range of ability
- To instigate a degree of satisfaction of knowing that they were able to complete a task which would have otherwise been beyond their capability
- To innovate or respond in such a way that enables them to take on any magnitude of work with confidence because of the faith their leader has in their capability.
However, a leader must be careful to identify which task would be more appropriate or suited for a worker, or whether all workers can be accommodated on a rotational basis to handle complex works. If such a situation is non-existent, then it is best to segregate work among groups of workers who are comfortable in their specific fields, and refrain from rotating, otherwise, irreparable damage may occur. Therefore, a leader should also be able to identify suitable people for the various positions within a dynamic organization. Having said this, a leader must unrelentingly focus on personal and organizational goals and vision and set an example for others by being a high performer. In the case of US Cellular, as a leader, I should be able to perform and generate business that enhances my organization’s goal. In order to achieve this, there has to be fire in the belly, which can come about only through the inclination to work. It is in the same vein that I as a leader should understand that in order to bring out the best of my workforce, I need to continuously raise the bar while training or developing them for both, personal and professional growth.
No business can succeed unless they are customer-centric. It is customers who decide the fate of a business and it becomes imperative that the workforce considers this point righteously. By being courteous, responsible, and supportive of their needs, a leader can set an example of how to win the confidence and respect of customers. Thinking like a customer, a leader can implant the virtues required to overcome barriers and obstacles that may hinder customer satisfaction.
Truly, the work of a leader is challenging, yet satisfying. The taste of success is what one and all wish for, and with dedication and inclination to work, nothing is impossible.
Reference
Thad B. Green, Performance and Motivation Strategies for Today’s Workforce: A Guide to Expectancy Theory, Praeger/Greenwood, 1992