The Skillful Manager Emphasizes Diagnosis Of Needs
Leadership and Decision Making.
Deciding for us, for our most desired goal, for what´s in it for us, has no means when it comes to leadership and teams. We can´t change our drive and will, it´s already there, as if installed. Do you agree? Then this rule is good for everyone. A leader cannot change individuals, he or she can only diagnose their needs.
People choose a certain behaviour or tactic which motivates them most and which makes them decide for permanent action towards their goal or desired outcome. Decisions are involved in a person´s motivational function of:
A. effort-to-performance expectancies
B. performance-to-outcome expectancies
C. perceived valence of outcomes
Leading is directly connected to deciding, on both sides. The driven one will ask himself:
- Can I perform at that level, if I try?
- If I perform at that level, what will happen?
- How do I feel about those things that will happen?
Everyone of us decides to behave in that way which seems to have the best chance of producing positive, desired outcomes. Motivation depends on the situation people are in, and how it fits their needs.
EXAMPLE:
If your best outcome you most desire is to end up on place 1 (Gold) after a race and the time you´re running is quite good compared to everyone else who will attend, how motivated will you be to daily train now to improve the last bit for making it to become N°1? I expect – you´re highly motivated to improve. It might feel like only 1 more step to do. And on top, there is no need for you to win this race because you won three times already.
You might think now about changing your diet, the day time you run, or the area you train: in a park ? In the woods ? At a near-by shore ? Which location will help to improve ? You´re preparing now for another decision (in hope) to reach the desired outcome – to WIN! As fun. You might only choose 1 of those alternatives and make the change…..
- you know you can perform on this level
- if you adjust your training from now on, you might win again
- you´ll be happy and pleased with your personal performance
BUT – what if you would love to be among the first 3 runners of the race but your performance today shows you´re in the lower level of all attendees. There is not much time left to improve but still, you belief in yourself and you´re willing to improve. There is quite a need for you to win this race: you never won yet. By now you´re better than the last time! Which decision alternatives will you put on your table to choose from ?
All three I mentioned above? Will you change it all? Will you adjust your diet, will you train on a different time frame from now on and even change the location and run in all three areas to be most challenged? Are you willing to do it all to reach the outcome? Maybe, you will decide for a massive change, but ask yourself:
- is this a level I can perform, daily?
- will I improve my results when I change to this higher training level?
- how will I feel if I end up on place 4? What if I make to be the N°2 or N°1? How pleased am I at all?
The decisions you make are in hope and need to be among the first 3 of the race. If this is your need, it is also your will and motivation. If you decide for this with all consequences, you have a realistic chance to be among the first 3 and win.
This scenario fits to a company as well! Even if it´s the wish and need to become the N°1 in your country or even in the world, make sure to know and handle the needs of the teamplayers as well. Their daily decisions lead your company to become the N°1. It´s not the fix goal you set, it´s not the necessary headline itself, which has to have a magnetic force, it´s the long-term path which teams and people run well motivated towards the end!
……did you ever win in a sports competition? More than once? Please let us know how much decision making you involved to reach your goal! – thank you –
BE A DECISION MAKER. BE OUTSTANDING.
rita jaskolla – Leadership Architect –
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