![]() It’s about contribution not job description. Notice I am NOT suggesting that everyone in similar jobs should be similarly paid. The two strongest arguments for increases have to do with internal fairness (Are people who make similar contributions also making similar incomes?) and external competitiveness (Is your team’s pay lower than the market you’re recruiting from?). Is compensation internally fair? Is it externally competitive? Your arguments will be more effective if they are more informed.If they believe you have a broader enterprise view, they will be far more open to your arguments. If it’s all about “your” people-expect resistance. Also, do you understand and sympathize with the larger economic realities your senior leaders are navigating? For example: Are you in a growing market? A shrinking market? If you are a government agency, are your budgets increasing or decreasing? Do you work in a growth area of your organization or a declining/legacy area? Your influence with upper management decreases when your motivations narrow. Do you understand the business? Before you advocate for pay or promotions for your team, be sure you understand the larger scheme of the value your team adds to the enterprise, and the relative contribution your people make.Are you creatively connecting your team to the larger human purpose of the enterprise? Are you investing in developing satisfying connections of trust and intimacy among team members? Do you support individual team members in creating motivating developmental experiences that give them a sense of increasing mastery? These are some of the basics of motivation. Three of the most profound are purpose, connection, and mastery. But it matters most when other motivators are missing. Are you maximizing other motivations? Decades of research shows the most important work motivators are not financial.Understanding that your role is to do what’s right by the organization and your team-let me offer some questions you can reflect on as you influence your team’s motivation and ensure they are appropriately compensated. ![]() Organizations thrive when managers offer their specialized team-level perspective in the service of enterprise-focused decisions.Įnough of the sermon. The result is a budget that reflects politics more than purpose. Companies suffer when managers squabble over capital investment decisions as though their own local needs are all that matter. When you advocate for bigger rewards for your people, it should be because, as you take an enterprise-wide view, you believe this is where those incremental resources should be placed. This means there are times when your job is to stand tall and tell your team that meager bonuses are the right decision. I say this to explain my first point: the basic role of a manager is to advance the interests of the enterprise. Your job becomes fighting for “your” people. Proximity to their team engenders a sympathy with their people’s needs while distance from other constituencies breeds indifference to abstractions like budget discipline, shareholder returns, and the needs of other faceless managers or employees. They think their job is to fight for resources and garner rewards for their team. Many unconsciously adopt an agenda of team advocacy. With that said, many managers misapprehend their basic role. Love is the foundation of good leadership. ![]() I can sense the compassion and interest you have for them. Your team is lucky to have you as a leader. How do I help my people know their work is valued and keep them motivated in this climate? And/or how do I get upper-management to be more generous? I can only offer tiny salary increases and no advancement opportunities. I feel heartbroken these days because my hands are tied on the last two. I do that through verbal gratitude, annual reviews, monetary compensation, and at times, career advancement. One of the most important roles I have as a manager is to be sure my people are properly recognized for their contributions.
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