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Most experts author books, to share their expertise and establish authority status. But writing can be tough when client projects demand your time. That’s why smart experts write their books in chunks e.g. an article at a time. I explain how…
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This article offers ideas developed based on a relatively small questionnaire survey I conducted in 1999 for a paper I entered into the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Manager’s Competition.
I make no claims to having exhaustively tested the survey items for statistically significant relevance to all situations. My main purpose is to offer suggestions for decision makers to consider in evolving a suitable program to boost employee morale in their respective organisations.
People may look the same outwardly and on paper (appear to) have the same backgrounds and competencies. The truth however is that when it comes to doing their work WELL and feeling good about it, to the extent that they – on their own – would decide to continue doing it even when not required to do so, EACH employee is likely to differ in terms of what s/he will want to see, hear or receive in order to ACT that way.
But a company’s decision makers cannot “kill” themselves trying to meet every individual’s needs or requests.
Having said that, they CAN help employees get to a point where they(i.e. employees) feel that the company truly CARES for them and takes their NEEDS seriously.
PLUS that it can be trusted to ALWAYS fulfil its own end of the bargain when they(the employees) deliver desired results to the expected standards.
Few companies bother to do in-house checks aimed for instance, at measuring how enthusiastic people feel about coming to the workplace and doing their work DAILY.
Yet most decision makers KNOW from attending many (expensive) training courses on management and leadership that people who are enthusiastic about what they do, can deliver dramatically superior output compared to those who are reluctant, demoralised and/or frustrated.
Going by my experiences, I think it is because they feel only few employees are complaining.
They feel (and will often wait till ) it is only when many of the employees start grumbling loudly about their dissatisfactions that something would really need to be done.
In their thinking taking action before then would amount to setting a wrong precedent.
Hmm.
Yet decision makers who think like this are often the first to talk about being “Proactive” when describing their preferred management techniques/philosophies!
I would say that if you are REALLY to be proactive, you would not wait till a confrontational situation develops between your employees’ union leaders for instance, and your HR Management team before you investigate and redress identified imbalances in the working situations of your employees.
Think about this for a minute.
It is only when they FEEL they cannot trust or depend on you to do anything that makes doing their work easier and more fulfilling that the common tense relationship develops between both parties, resulting in the company’s management/decision makers feeling they need to “threaten, force, and coerce” the workforce.
The employee’s unions in turn would naturally decide they need to issue ultimatums etc in order to have their needs/concerns taken seriously.
Of course there will always be the possibility that some individuals may try to push silly/selfish requests through, especially if they sense you are willing to be flexible, but these individuals would be easily managed with careful planning by showing others the folly of what they propose.
Getting people to feel good about working in your company may sometimes require that you introduce new people/process management ideas or concepts. However this must be done intelligently else nothing worthwhile will be achieved for the organisation and its members.
In many companies today, new initiatives are continually being introduced/implemented with a view to enhancing the organisation’s ability to attain set goals and objectives. Decision makers must however ask themselves at every opportunity:
“Do we have to implement these new ideas to the letter “as is” or can we modify them to suit out peculiar business workplace/employee situations and needs? They must ask: “Do we have to accept every new concept or fad hook, line and sinker as being applicable for our use?”.
People within the same society/culture typically differ in their workplace preferences and expectations. What works in a particular society/culture may not work as well(or at all) in another society or culture.
The implication is that companies may find that the manner in which they have to manage their employees/team members may vary from one culture to the other in which they operate branches or subsidiaries for instance.
Failure to do this could result in significant dis-improvements in employee performances that the company will eventually suffer for – as the “people” may “fight” the new initiative because it conflicts with their socio-cultural values or preferences.
In a previous life, I worked as a trainee sales coordinator in a wine manufacturing company for about 6 months, before later joining a brewing multinational as a Graduate Trainee, and 7 years later voluntarily resigning as Technical Training & Development Manager.
During my time in paid employment, I often discussed extensively with other employees within and outside my company about the workplace, employment conditions, boss-subordinate relationships, job satisfaction etc.
Most times people I spoke with dwelt more on the monetary remuneration/benefits they received from their companies as a means for deciding whether or not to be “happy” with their jobs/companies.
But in certain instances I found that some (like me), wanted more than that – such as freedom to express their individuality in doing their work; more recognition from the company for their contributions etc.
This article explains why – I believe – every company needs to work hard to measure(possibly using a short Employee Morale Gauge quiz like the one I developed) and nurture the morale of their employees/team members IF the company is to progress.
“Mindlessly following a concept is a recipe for disaster. Our organisations must begin to think and develop approaches (like the Japanese did) that best suit their organisational culture. No organisation should launch any company-wide initiative without first making a thorough assessment of the need to change and the cultural barriers to achievement.”
In November 1999, I wrote a management paper titled “Performance Management and Employee Motivation”(*See “Note” section below) – for entry into the 1999 edition the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Managers’ Competition.
In the first chapter of the paper, I posed the following questions based on literature reviews I had done:
a. Do our people(i.e. employees/team members) see effort leading to performance, and performance leading to the rewards they value?
b. Do they trust management to fulfil its promises to them?
c. Why are employees often dissatisfied with management?
d. Why are employees ever complaining about being underpaid, overworked and disrespected?
e. Is there (in Nigeria) any company where employees are so well motivated by the management that they do not have any complaint to make against it?
The above questions were investigated using a simple 10-item multi-choice survey questionnaire mailed to/recovered from employees of a number of organisations in Lagos and Benin cities.
Over 80% of the employees scored their companies low in areas relating to welfare, rewards/recognition, involvement in decision making and fulfillment of promises made to them etc.
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*Note: I did not get past the zonals unlike my maiden 1997 outing which I described in the article titled “I Flopped Badly At The National Finals(How NOT To Prepare For/Deliver An Important Presentation”. But the effort was still rewarding for me as I later got to use my ideas in that paper to contribute to my department:About 9 months later, my boss – Greg(Production Manager) invited all mangers in the department to send in their submissions/ideas for moving the department forward towards achieving its vision as a key unit of the brewery/company. I wasted no time in sending him a 10 page paper (on 21st August 2000) articulating my thoughts/drawing extensively from the paper I had earlier written.
The 10 page paper was titled “Summary Highlights Of A Proposal On The Implementation Of Benin Brewery’s Production’s Vision for Year 2000 and Beyond”. So, even though I did not go far this time in the competition with my management paper, I found useful outlet for my ideas in a way that could add value to the entire team. I mention this to drive home the point that you need to form the habit of ALWAYS building on any ideas you have.(In my case I wrote and entered a paper advocating ideas I felt could be applied to improve workplace performances in MY organisation). By so doing, you will find yourself perfectly positioned in future to exploit unexpected opportunities that WILL crop up, to “sell” those ideas to others, and make a BIG difference/impact on others around you.
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Going by the above, it is my firm belief that employers/decision makers can – if they want to – consciously begin to systematically disabuse the minds of employees.
They can do this by checking periodically how the latter “feel” about their jobs/working conditions and then TAKING ACTION to make improvements where possible.
To be fair there are many companies which can boast of considerably high morale amongst their workforces because they already operate in this manner.
However, as people managers we know that a few employees in such companies (who might hold positions that enable them influence a large number of others) might still answer the questions posed in a. and b. above in the negative.
More generally, the truth is that some employees’ utterances and attitudes on the job would suggest that questions c. d. and e. depict issues that are relevant to their current situations – therefore needing management’s prompt attention and/or action if work force morale is to the kept at an optimal level.
In my Conclusion and Summary, I opined based on results of the study’s survey that:
“an organisation employing a management approach that actively recognises the knowledge and experience of its employees as well as openly acknowledges their significant contributions to the business is likely to succeed and enjoy competitive advantage over its rivals. This is because such a company would get the full commitment and loyalty of its workforce who would have no difficulty aligning their personal goals with those of the company. Further, employees would thrive better in the environment where they are not being “controlled” and “directed” by management while doing their jobs…Whatever scheme we introduce should be self–sustaining and not take from the company more than it can give back.“
Conduct Simple In-House Attitudinal/Opinion Surveys To Keep Tabs On How Your Employees Feel
It is based on all that I have said above, that I now suggest as follows to any organisational decision maker who desires to KEEP workers/employees/team members constantly enthusiastic about their jobs:
Make out time to periodically administer a simple “Employee Morale Gauge or Barometer” Quiz to them – individually.
You can adopt the questionnaire that I developed, or generate for your purposes one that is suitable.
This quiz would be periodically administered to YOUR employees/team members.
The answers obtained to EACH question will be used to gauge your success in changing the attitude of your people for the better.
In other words, you will have one over riding purpose – as employer/organisational decision maker.
And that will ALWAYS be to work towards doing things that would make employees change ANY negative opinions they have. Especially about issues raised in each question, so that they begin to respond positively to EACH one… EVERYTIME.
The challenge for you will therefore be to get to a period or point when/where ALL the questionnaires returned to you will contain responses that indicate your employees/team members true feelings.
That’s whether or not they are TRULY happy and satisfied with their jobs – and by implication with the company’s management!
I had an eye opening experience in 2004, working with one particular business owner(a sole proprietor) to administer this questionnaire to his employees.
The individuals concerned requested that they be allowed to leave their names OFF their completed questionnaires.
We agreed. This eliminated any fears of reprisal, with the result that much more honest and qualitative responses were obtained from them.
In a certain case, some “hidden grudges” long held by a particular individual against the company’s management were unearthed!
Sample Employee Workplace Morale Gauge Quiz Template
Below I reproduce the contents of my ten item quiz. You may find need to modify it to suit your purposes. In which case, you may find it useful to download and customise the Excel based template I use.
Question 1. Is it okay for an employee to make mistakes on the job?
a). Sometimes, so long as s/he works hard to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
b). Never.
c). Sometimes, but only concerning areas s/he is recognised not to have significant experience.
d). Others
Ideal Choice = Up to the respondent(Coment by Tayo: My ideal response would be “a”).
Question 2. Do you believe you have a say in how you should do your job?
a). Yes.
b). No.
c). Not Sure.
d). Don’t Know.
Ideal Choice = a
Question 3. Which do you prefer of the following options in your workplace?
a). You are told everything to do at each stage of your work by your boss
b). You are allowed enough freedom to do most aspects of your work by yourself but can consult your superior when you so desire.
c). Somewhere between a. and b.
Ideal Choice = Up to the respondent
Question 4. Which of the following best represents the situation at your workplace currently?
a). You are told everything to do at each stage of your work by your boss
b). You are allowed enough freedom to do most aspects of your work by yourself but can consult your superior when you so desire.
c). Somewhere between a. and b.
Ideal Choice = b
Question 5. If you had a choice, would you stay behind office hours to finish a job even when you know your boss will not be upset if you do not?
a). Yes.
b). No.
c). Not Sure.
Ideal Choice = a
Question 6. How do you feel when you are preparing to come to work in the morning?
a). Enthusiastic and rearing to continue from where you stopped the day before.
b). Indifferent
c). Slightly nervous and wondering what is going to go wrong today. Choice = 0
d). Unenthusiastic about the impending duties to be done.
Ideal Choice = a
Question 7. What would be your reaction if you heard someone say he believes the company you work for provides necessary support for its employees to give their best on the job?
a). Strongly Agree.
b). Agree.
c). Undecided.
d). Disagree.
e). Strongly disagree.
Ideal Choice = a
Question 8. Do you feel your company shows respect for its employees in the way issues concerning them are handled?
a). Yes.
b). No.
c). Not Sure.
d).
e).
Ideal Choice = a
Question 9. If you had a very bright idea you knew would lift your company to greater heights, would you be willing to bring it to the knowledge of management?
a). Yes.
b). No.
c). Not Sure.
Ideal Choice = a
Question 10. Upon carrying out a job that results in significant benefits to your department, how would you prefer to get feedback on your efforts?
a). By hearing that your boss announced the achievement at a meeting without specifically mentioning your name?
b). By getting a personal commendation letter from a management representative or verbal commendation from your boss?
c). By seeing your name placed on some notice boards acknowledging your contribution. Choice = 0
d). By receiving a form of reward e.g. cash or gift.
e). You would not need any form of acknowledgement.
Ideal Choice = Up to respondent
Administering The Employee Workplace Morale Gauge Quiz
You can use my customisable Employee Workplace Morale Survey Quiz Template(click here to request the download link to the Microsoft Excel version – approx 23.5KB) to measure how your employees, reports or team members feel about working with you/your organisation. It can be quite insightful to see responses to the questions.
NOTE that the quiz has NO CORRECT ANSWERS.
The score you get will only indicate how much agreement there is between the respondent’s choices, and those I have specified as “best-fit” or “ideal” indications of “good/positive employee morale”.
You will get the most value from using this quiz by studying the individual responses made by your staff/team members to each question.
Scoring Options: If you wish, you can assign points from 5 (for the choice of answer option “a” to 1(for the choice of answer option “e”.
There are three questions in the above quiz for which it may be difficult to assign scores since the answer options that can be chosen would reflect the respondent’s personal preference. They are question Nos. 1, 3 and 10.
Based one the foregoing, total maximum scoring for a completed questionnaire would be 35 out of 35 maximum possible points. While 5 (out of 35 maximum) points would be the minimum. You should HOPE that each of your recovered questionnaires will give at least 75%(i.e. at least 26 out of 35 points). That “target” is just a suggestion though, as it is my opinion that EVERY singe non-ideal answer you get on EVERY single question should prompt you to take decisive action to ensure it does NOT re-appear in the next survey you conduct.
Here’s wishing you good luck as you work towards building a better motivated work force for your organisation.
PS: This article was first published via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com in 2007.
Since then it has been republished with my permission in journals, term papers etc, by other individuals and organisations.
See some references in No. 119: How to Achieve Success in Any Field (True Story) | SD Nuggets™
I sat down for one week in 2002 (my start-up year), and wrote what is now my popular Feed Formulation Handbook (photo below). It was based on my knowledge/experience as a key member of the self-funding Student’s Farm Research Foundation (SFRF) in the University of Ibadan. But…my first sale did NOT happen until 2004! (NB: But it came early, and with feedback that led me to build the Ration Formulator software that now accompanies the app).
By way of interest, my decision to write the book came after I read Michel Fortin’s “10 Commandments of Power Positioning” and “Burt Dubin’s Why & How to Get Published”(click that link if you want to know what those guys said that made me decide to write a book).
I know several people who’ve written books but keep waiting to get it published with a big name publisher, to make the “selling” process easier. Well, in my case, I could not be bothered. I went into selling mode as soon as I got it printed out from MS Word onto A4 paper, and spiral bound (more on this later).
Like I said, it took 2 solid years to make my first sale of that book.
I KNEW the subject inside out, having been involved in formulating and compounding rations for livestock we (SFRF) reared commercially on the university’s research and teaching farm.
We never had to beg for patrons to give us money etc.
It was also 100% run by us, the students. We had lecturers as patrons, but they only gave advice. They never interfered.
And we had a bank account, managed by elected executives who ran the foundation’s affairs competently.
I know all this, not just because I was a member, BUT because I was an active one. In fact, within ONE year of joining, I got so active that in my second year as a member (a year before my graduation), I was elected (without my indicating interest in contesting!) as “Supplies Coordinator”.
That executive position enabled me get to see the inner workings of the executive team.
It was impressive to observe the professionalism that undergraduates displayed in their affairs back then. As Supplies Coordinator, I often had to work out the ration formulas or get them from the Project Coordinator (the overall head) and then get the needed funds to visit the feed mill to have them compounded.
I would then return with a pick up van of compounded and bagged feeds to be used for 2 or more weeks. An exciting experience it was!
Sometimes I would be told a particular ingredient was in short supply, and I would have to use my knowledge of ration formulation to choose a suitable substitute ingredient to replace it in the ration without significantly affecting the ration’s formulated balance etc.
You must understand that despite being a “foundation” we were PROFIT focused. So, it was important to get things right as often as possible.
To ensure we could repeat our success, we kept good records. We frequently reviewed the performance of our chicks, layers, broilers, cockerels etc, over time, against different batches of formulated ration fed to them.
That guided us on what ration formula to use in future. And it was that diligence that led us to make healthy profits by keeping our feeding costs low while boosting productivity.
These are the same factors I try to point out to Farm CEOs. They are not complex, but they require diligence to get right. And that was why I wanted to explain in my book, how we derived such cost-effective ration formulas to reap healthy profits.
We did so well, that we were able to organize end of year parties, and even give ourselves gifts of eggs and chicken to take home!
When you have seen and experienced something on such a deep personal level, it’s NOT hard to talk (or write!) about it…
That was why the contents of that book that’s still purchased today by Farm CEOs (and those aspiring) for N8,000.00 came pouring out of me in just ONE week!
Once I was done, I went out and printed/spiral bound a copy.
Then I printed flyers and began visiting farm businesses all across Lagos.
Each day, as I found free time from my other business startup activities, I drove to farms in Ipaja, Egbeda, and even as far as Epe, then back to Oko Oba in Agege.
I even went to farm support experts in the Ministry of Agriculture. And YES I did meet with leaders of farmer groups/associations about introducing my book to their members…but nothing ever came of it, other than “Ok. No problem. Call me later, and let’s talk“, then “Ah, let me call you back after I leave the meeting I’m going for now“…LOL!
In essence, I was unable to make a sale!
Stupidly, I tried placing small classified ads in some newspapers and magazines. For 2 years I tried selling it that way.
Even then, NO SINGLE enquiry came in!
Well, that was my experience with my Feed Formulation Handbook in those startup years.
I knew the contents would be cherished by livestock farm owners looking to lower their costs of feeding, and boost their farm output.
And that was why I felt it was best to go straight to them and show them the book: Makes a lot of sense that way doesn’t it?
Well, I found out the hard way, that it was NOT the best way to go about it!
I read a few others too…
Then I sat down and did some deep reflecting on what I had read.
Within a few days the insights began to come to me…in trickles. I realized I had been doing the marketing bit completely wrong.
I had read those write-ups the first time around without INTERNALIZING the most important lesson…
I’ve since learnt those lessons well, and even come up with a few of my own.
The book has been on sale via my online store as a downloadable PDF for years now. I sell it as a spiral bound book, and also email it as a PDF attachment to buyers from within/outside Nigeria who send payment directly to me, instead of using my online store.
All I had to do was change the way I was trying to sell.
Instead, I only had to pick up some Unconventional Sales and Marketing Education – the kind that is NOT taught in schools!
And it so happens that one of the 2 main gurus I learnt what to do from (who is world renowned in his field, and recently turned 80 years) describes himself as a high school drop out!
I have to say though that I was lucky, to have persisted in digging long enough to find out where I was going wrong. Otherwise I would have probably ended up frustrated – or concluded I was a failure…
Most people often miss this…Sales & Marketing Education – of the right kinds – can often help with Passing Job Interviews!
In other words, with the right experience based sales/marketing “education”, YOU can record better results in searching for jobs than those who lack those abilities.
Among other benefits, your “know-how” will guide you right from when you write and submit your resume, to what you do and say when invited for the job interview!
Carefully observe people as they relate with one another – and you will see that WE ARE all in the business of WINNING one another over.
Maybe it’s to make them like you, or to make them give you something you want. We are all trying to “influence” one another!
Every now and then you are trying to “sell” a point of view or perspective to others, in a way that makes them LEAN towards your line of thinking. That makes them TRUST you more.
And when they trust you more, they are more likely to make decisions in YOUR favour.
This is why companies pay celebrities handsomely to “front” for their products by making them BRAND ambassadors. They know fans will tend to “adopt” something if they see that someone they admire, respect or trust (e.g. a celebrity), ENDORSES it.
It could be a prospective employer, or a potential client…a pretty girl or handsome chap…
Once you can win their “trust”, you will find that those who really need you, or what you offer, will choose you more often, over any others they may be considering.
And that’s what results in success…
In my case, that’s what leads to successful selling of my Feed Formulation Handbook, my other books, in addition to my Excel-VB software as well as other solutions I offer.
Yet, you must remember, that I basically had to go and discover how to succeed like this on my own. I had to re-learn and unlearn MANY things I was taught in school in the process too!
Why don’t our schools teach US what we need to EXCEL in the real world?
Why do we so often leave school and then find we need to go and learn so many others things in order to succeed in the real world?
[NB: A possible exception is if we find paid employment that readily suits formal schooling we got. But that’s harder to find these days]
And why is it that when we retire, resign or get kicked out of our jobs, and we start our own businesses, one thing we struggle the most with is how to profitably MARKET whatever we offer???
To take this further, let ME now ask YOU this…
Don’t you think that our schools should be teaching us “sales and marketing that works” LONG before we are due to enter the real world?
Isn’t that what school is meant to do i.e. to EQUIP us with the knowledge and skills to care for ourselves in the real world ?
Even YOU in paid employment right now…these thoughts also apply!
For instance, should you NOT be learning “sales and marketing that works” in preparation for your inevitable departure from your salaried job???
After all, when that happens (e.g. you retire), you may have to “open a grocery shop, or supermarket”…or even start a consulting firm or cookies factory (ALL of which will benefit and do better with effective sales and marketing)!
What is school teaching MY own kids right now????
What has school BEEN teaching MY own kids since I began sending them there???
Does any of it include the stuff mentioned above, that is likely to determine their ability to succeed by profitably “sell” themselves???
If NO, what can I do to “CORRECT” that deficiency in the “education” my kids are getting???
Or should it be what CAN you do?
I say CAN, because there is indeed something you CAN do to change things if your questions reveal the need for that to happen!
Let me refer to myself from this point on…
Here’s what DRIVES me, to keep writing on this theme at every opportunity.
It’s also pushing me to TAKE concrete action to coach my kids to be better prepared for the real world.
At the end of August 2014, I made my go out to try marketing their cup cakes, to compare with how they sell to their classmates in school. It was a most revealing experience for them. I shared photos in my Facebook album.
Just before leaving Nigeria during my last visit earlier this month, I got them together to quickly record a video in which they demonstrated the process they follow in making their cup cakes using only a pot and charcoal stove.
I’m now using the photos and video clips in writing a book that we will jointly publish as co-authors, for sale in my online store.
The purpose? Click the sneak preview cover image below to find out in the PDF report I’ve published about it.
Hassles that made me a clueless “job seeker” post graduation.
Humiliating hassles that made me a “clueless” startup entrepreneur for years after I quit my job to run my own business in the real world!
These are HARSH truths, but I use them to keep myself awake to the realities my kids are bound to face, if I leave them to learn based on the SAME system that I passed through!!!
That’s what makes me determined to show them that a better way exists.
In fact, let me share a secret with you: If I have my way NONE of my kids will EVER become an employee.
I’ve told them this already, and we are all agreed on it in principle.
Judging from the way things are going for us right now, we’re already headed in that direction e.g. with our plans for a family based business.
[NB: This article is based on lessons I learned from my real life personal experiences, as an individual AND a parent] The concept of “Trial By Fire” can be successfully applied in different social settings. The ultimate purpose of a “Trial By Fire” approach should however always be to help “participants” discover and/or develop FURTHER their innate abilities and capabilities, to the point where they can truly function at their FULL potential.
No matter how we look at it, helping people to perform at their optimal best is the most important way to bring about progress and development. The “Trial By Fire” approach provides a tested and proven “fast-track” avenue through which these valuable twin goals can be achieved.
Poverty often manifests in form of a lack of money, and painfully limited access to basic necessities and conveniences.
People born into poverty often find early responsibility and attendant hardship thrust on them as a result. Biographies have been written of great men and women who in their formative years, had to help their parents out by doing odd jobs to earn income to feed the family (Walt Disney for instance sold newspapers as a child to complement his father’s efforts).
But just as their situation caused (often serious) pain, it also toughened them.
In other words, t hey learnt to “fight” to get what they wanted. They did so sometimes driven by the knowledge that their parents or siblings waited at home for them to return with “something”.
This acceptance of early responsibility, and the fighting spirit/mental stamina they developed over time became useful qualities. Especially when they turned their attention to their chosen vocations.
Walt Disney’s early struggles for instance, must have taught him the discipline of hard work, which helped him relentlessly pursue his dreams to build an empire that survives till today.
“All I know is Jay-Jay Okocha sold Oranges on the streets of Lagos“.
Think about it a minute.
This was a man whose accomplishments in his profession(football) cannot be ignored internationally. Yet, when confronted with evidence of widespread adoration for him based on those achievements he chose to recall what could probably qualify to be called the most humbling moments in his entire lifetime.
As has been confirmed by numerous research studies, and real-life stories of other great people, periods of adversity can often bring out the best in a person. So much so that s/he develops qualities that will ultimately enable him/her archive notable success in the future.
Okocha, by that statement obviously recognized those harrowing days of living in a single room with his mother and sisters and selling oranges to sustain them, as instrumental to the development of the never-say-die mental attitude that led him to achieve success and fame as a footballer.
Poverty imposes severe lack of resources which the affected person(s) need to function effectively in their current situation. I believe the concept of “poverty ” can be extended beyond the more common one that relates to poor people, and applied in a more general sense.
You could for instance talk about poverty of “good leadership”, which may result in slow development in a nation or poor performance of a company.
In essence I am saying that poverty can be translated to mean “lack”(deliberate or accidental) of resources or environment normally required for effective functioning of an individual, group or organisation.
The above implies that deliberately putting individuals or groups into controlled environments of “poverty” and/or “hardship” similar to those they are likely to encounter in real-life, can help them.
Apart from boosting their mental toughness, they are likely to develop “survival skills and abilities” that they can successfully use to achieve improved performances at work/in life, even when their actual circumstances are limiting.
For instance, it is well known that creativity tends to flourish when there are limited resources, which force people to explore alternative routes to achieve their intended goals.
Without the challenge introduced in form of the removal of ready access to the needed resources, most people would rather not apply any sustained intellectual effort towards finding a better way to do the same thing.
The above principle is used in military training. Soldiers are exposed to various adverse conditions which if they successfully undergo make them tougher and readier to meet the “enemy”.
The use of simulators in various spheres of training endeavours(e.g. pilot training etc), also provides some evidence that this is an approach that has proven merit.
In summary, “poverty” imposes the test of “Trail By Fire” on persons born/thrust into it, equipping those who “pass”, with competencies that help them excel later on in life.
Organisations (and even societies) which want to develop high performing members can learn from nature. They can utilise the “Trial By Fire” approach (like some progressive ones already do) to develop management talent of their people, and ultimately record exceptional employee performances.
1. Create a deliberate atmosphere of lack (i.e. artificial scarcity) or hardship THEN Demand those in it to deliver the same results that would be expected if they had all that they needed.
For instance if you want to start up a new arm of your company – you may choose NOT to let the parent company give the managers of the new company ALL the money and resources they need.
Instead, it would be smarter to give them a little, and then challenge them to find their own feet by working hard to start earning income, as quickly as possible, to keep going.
That way, they get to learn the important (and sometimes harsh/hard) lessons that you learnt – which enabled you build the parent company to the level at which spinning off new subsidiaries like theirs become possible.
Such lessons would equip them to run the NEW company profitably.
2. Watch out for the reactions of those who are challenged in this way – Note those who reject the assignment. Identify those who take action to get the described results by improvising and being creative.
3. Decide on the next level of challenge(s) to throw at your “proteges” – depending of course on how they have responded up to this point.
4. Take them out to the real world and see if they put what they have learnt/discovered to use as the opportunities to do so arise.
5. Provide qualitative, experience based feedback. Those you put through this process will need guidance from someone with the right mix of knowledge and experience, to make “sense” of what they have gone through.
You will ensure that they get this guidance by way of feedback delivered in a manner that enhances each person’s self-esteem, thereby boosting enthusiasm to work harder to achieve the needed learnings/results.
It could be at home with your kids, in the workplace with employees etc. One must however always remember that the ultimate purpose of a “Trial By Fire” approach is to help those to whom it is applied discover and/or develop FURTHER their innate abilities and capabilities, to the point where they can truly function at their FULL potential.
No matter how we look at it, helping people to perform at their optimal best is the most important way to bring about progress and development. The “Trial By Fire” approach provides a tested and proven “fast-track” avenue through which these valuable twin goals can be achieved.
Some parents who rose from lowly beginnings where they had to overcome severe hardships to achieve notable successes sometimes vow they will never let their own kids suffer the way they(the parents) did. In a sense this feeling is understandable.
The problem however is that in trying to make sure your kids do not “suffer”, you may end up making them “weak” – by over protecting them – so that they grow up incapable of withstanding challenges that life may throw at them in their bid to achieve their own goals.
You need to realise that YOUR contact with poverty and its attendant hardships contributed significantly to making you capable of overcoming those challenges.
If you really want to help your kids, you may need to seriously consider periodically exposing them to similar experiences in ways that will teach useful lessons they can draw upon later in life.
This article has described some potentially useful approaches that YOU can apply to learn those empowering lessons – and which you can also teach your kids.
I urge you to do both.
NB: This article is based on excerpts from a write-up originally published Online on 6th July 2007 via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com and Ezinearticles.com
[Hint: If you’re a YOUNG African keen to MAXIMIZE your God-given potential, I wrote this article with YOU in mind] Most people who follow my work online know that I relocated to Benin Republic from Lagos-Nigeria on 1st April 2013.
From my very first night in a Cotonou hotel, till today, as I write from a cyber cafe in Cotonou, I never stopped writing my blog posts EVERY Monday to Saturday (sometimes Sunday) all through that transition period.
Most did not know I’d learnt to read, write and speak French way back in 1999.
And of course I knew no one when I arrived Cotonou. But I knew my CREATOR – and that was enough.
PLUS…I knew I had the mental stamina – and FAITH- to deal with the challenges they rightly anticipated I would face in a new country.
Examples: Going without food and sleeping on the streets for days. Both happened more than once. I have proof to back those claims up – and will write in detail about it in my next book – with names and photos of persons (helpers guided to me by the Creator) with whom I became friends here in Cotonou DURING those periods.
I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again…
They are the ones who make the most noise about having faith – calling it the “assurance of things yet unseen”.
But their words and actions in their daily lives often contradict what they claim to believe.
That was why they failed to believe a person who expressed unquestioning faith in his creator’s ability to guide him to success!
Looking back, I think the fact that I did NOT profess a particular religion made them too biased to see that my SPIRITUALITY was more important than whatever religious leanings they had! And that mental attitude holds so many people back today from manifesting their full God-given potential.
Pity.
What, they asked, can you possibly find in that small and poor country, that is NOT available in Nigeria in greater abundance?
One of them pointed out that few people there would be able to afford my services and even fewer would be interested.
I tried to explain to them – but they just did NOT get it.
They do GET IT NOW, I can tell you that: my success makes sure of that!!
You see I did NOT come looking for clients in Benin (even though I NOW have several, who sought me out on their own!)
What I wanted was uninterrupted power supply and better socioeconomic conditions under which to build my online brand to find profitable buyers.
Nigeria could not (yet) give me that – 10 years of trying had told me that clearly.
So I had to find an environment that would give me what I needed to FLOURISH like I knew I could.
“Old boy how far now? Shebi you said you are going to be international. What are you still doing in Naija now?” (and he burst out laughing many times as he spoke).
You may not believe it, but I felt really sorry for him – and others (there were others!) – who mocked me at various times in my journey to recognition and success.
You see, I had something they ALL could not see. But it was not money, and it was certainly not connections!
Instead, what I had was a deep seated CONVICTION that I could achieve the goal I’d set my mind on.
I did not have a clear idea of how that end would come about, but as a student of success, past experience had taught me to NOT worry about such things.
When you keep at it, what you need to make the next level of progress WILL appear.
In Nigeria it would have been hard to build my online presence to be this robust…and profitable.
But in Benin, I do it almost effortlessly.
I can work as long as I want and rest when I like, while creating new material to offer to a potentially profitable buying audience.
What’s more my cost of living over here is about 3 times LESS than it would be in Nigeria.
From food that I eat, to cutting my hair – even Internet connectivity is MUCH cheaper!
And I can go about my affairs with minimal worries any time of the day (even after midnight) – no crazy traffic, area boys, or naughty police men etc to deal with.
That’s why I’m moving my family over to join me!
I AM a multi-skilled entrepreneur with a proven ability to earn income (a growing portion being PASSIVE) regardless of where I am.
I get contacted by – and hired/paid by buyers from various countries.
My online presence is NOT an ego trip. I mean many different and useful things to many different and results focused persons. They find following – and connecting with – me BENEFITS them in various ways.
However I do offer a form of entertainment as well – only it comes along with information and education 
Simply put, I have become a meaningful specific – as Zig Ziglar advised EACH one of us to be!
Instead, I had to challenge myself to MANY times deliver near superhuman performances. And I continue to do that.
This website – www.tayosolagbade.com (which started out 9 years ago as www.spontaneousdevelopment.com) – with its rapidly growing mass of useful resources, is proof of this.
How do you manage to write all that stuff, build all those apps, then write and build for your clients as well, PLUS respond to emails etc?
The answer is simple: I found my passion, and I channeled my energy and focus into it.
Then I found a way to offer it to a global audience – increasing my ability to get rewarded for doing what I do!
And you know the best part? This strategy requires very low to zero capital to get started and/or make MASSIVE progress. I am proof of it!
Your age, gender or education does not matter.
In 4 to 8 weeks, I can guide you to discover what to do and how.
But you must be ready to do the work. And you must be ready to make the investment.
As an expert-who-speaks, potentially useful insights (i.e. IDEAS) about your field or subject may come easily to you. However, successfully implementing them in a way that equips you to earn ADDITIONAL income can prove difficult, if you lack the know-how.
This article uses a true story to explain why acquiring the know-how to monetize your ideas can make you more successful.
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[UPDATE: The ebook went LIVE in my online store a few minutes ago…click here to view!]
[This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It’s a compilation of 10 of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles. They were written on the Best Operating Process Management Systems (BOPMS)™ theme I have advocated for adoption by farm businesses over the past decade (see Table of Contents below).
![Screenshot - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer1.png)
Several of the articles featured in this ebook are found on 3rd party websites as Guest Posts(See Table of Contents further down)…
![Screenshot Page 2 - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer2.png)
To consolidate my efforts, especially as I continue to win clients (and subscribers) from within and outside Africa, I also compile my write-ups into eBooks, for easy reference.
A growing number of farm business owners (and those aspiring) have been asking for copies of several of my past articles. So this is a good way to help them find what they have in once place.
![Screenshot Page 3 - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer3.png)
In addition, those who are farm support experts and other stakeholders, including educators and trainers, will find this eBook series useful, as they can republish in their own media (e.g. websites, offline magazines, email newsletters etc.
![Screenshot Page 4 - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer4.png)
![Screenshot Table of Contents - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer5.png)
For every paid buyer, you can get your FREE copies of the MS Excel workbooks and other documents (or links) referred to in the articles featured here by sending me a message via http://www.tayosolagbade.com/pfbizplan.html (then email me a copy of your purchase invoice via tayo at tksola dot com), and I’ll get back to you.
If you have any queries or request please do not hesitate to email me via: tayo at tksola dot com or use the contact form located on my flagship website.
As a paid owner of this eBook, in line with the offer made of the sales page in my online store at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts, you can freely reproduce – without making alterations – ANY of the articles contained in this e-book for use on your website, or in any other medium or publication, as long as my byline and copyright information are printed along with every article.
![Screenshot - 2nd Article of 10 - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer6.png)
This article is one of ten (10) contained in Tayo Solagbade’s Ebook titled “Best Practice Farm Management ( & Performance Measurement) for Profits”. Tayo Solagbade (www.tayosolagbade.com) works a Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others. Download your copy of one or more of his Farm Business Best Practice Educational E-books from www.lulu.com/sdaproducts. You get full reprint rights for articles in them!
I hope the ideas I share in my e-books help you become more productive in starting up and running your Farm Business.
Yours in Best Practice Farm Management for Profits,
Cotonou, 18th October 2014 @ 2:32p.m
If you have any queries or request please do not hesitate to email me via: tayo at tksola dot com or use the contact form located on my flagship website.
![Screenshot - About The Author page - [This 55 page e-book goes LIVE at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts tomorrow Sunday 19th October 2014] It's a compilation of my top performing Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas articles](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ebook-pages-flyer7.png)
I have a relatively tiny Facebook friends list (<300). So one would imagine I’d readily accept every friend request I get. Instead, accepting a friend request – for me (especially since I moved to Cotonou in April 2013) – actually involves SCREENING people as if for employment…those I subject to that process just NEVER know it…LOL!
But seriously – you will NOT believe the lengths I go to check – and DOUBLE check them, and their backgrouds – in every way possible.
I do this ONLINE (and even OFFLINE), going as far as reaching out to friends of friends to the person who added me as a friend.
I want that because I WORK HARD to be that kind of friend to others – both on and off the web.
The above is why I also periodically WEED my friends list.
For instance, I’ve had funny “conversation” attempts by some friends I made about 2 years ago…
And then, if in a bid to be polite (thinking maybe the connection cut off the full message), I respond with a “Hi…can I help you?”… they follow up with some silly link etc…argh!
If achieving the above means I’ll end up with a micro-sized friends list, SO BE IT!
I’d rather have top quality interactions with 5 clued up friends several days in a YEAR, than endure mind numbing relations with 5,000 “air heads” every day!
NB: It goes without saying that I am comfortable with having the same rules applied to me by those who have ME on THEIR friends list.
Actually, I’m only using Facebook as a point of reference.
Generally, my message is directed at all people as they relate with one another online or offline.
However, we all know that a vast majority of today’s population across the world go through daily life glued to their PC and Internet related tools and resources.
Most of them use Facebook – which now has users across the billon mark.
But they also use several other platforms.
On their phones they are constantly messaging one another via “Whatsapp”, “Messenger” etc.
In essence, so much talking is happening today and a lot of it is in small chunks of often severely abbreviated words.
My observations indicate that some of them are even journalists, whose spelling skills now “suck” as a result – thereby punishing readers!
The situation is so bad now, that those who feel what should be a normal “need” to think, speak and write words normally, struggle to “get through” to such “Tweet” brained persons.
The latter’s minds can often not hold a train of thought beyond the volume allowed for Tweeting.
I exaggerate not: There ARE adults and young people like that out there today!
And they are in such numbers that those who are NOT like them appear to be the ones who are NOT normal.
Ultimately, this is why the quality of thinking and social interaction today is deteriorating.
In this article, I’m asking you to do the same thing too – for your own good.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t condemn or reject them. And I’m NOT asking you to either!
For those I perceive to be willing to be coached and influenced to IMPROVE themselves, I make the effort to stay connected.
But if after a while I get the impression I’m “pouring water in a basket” (i.e wasting my time/efort or “Mo nda omi si akpere” – as the Yorubas would say), I generally avoid them.
The truth is that it is unwise to try and save the world, if those in it are NOT interested.
Make it clear that you are available, to any persons who are willing to be helped. If anyone comes, do what you can.
Otherwise, keep your peace. You have enough to occupy you in pursuit of your own self-improvement and ultimate self-actualization.
To achieve your goals in life, especially in a way that adds value to others and the society, you will sometimes need to be ruthless in the way your choose those you spend your time with.
Not just in person, but also on the web.
Those you give your conscious attention to (e.g. online) determine the THOUGHTS you nurture.
By implication, you will be wasting your valuable, and non-recoverable, time!
Life is just too short to spend it with people UNWILLING to add value to YOU or society.
Challenge them to step up, and if they don’t seriously consider WALKING AWAY!
Like we say in Africa: A word is enough for the wise!
To get your team members to put in their BEST efforts at all times, you need what I call a Workplace Performance Improvement philosophy. One that will inspire them to willingly do their jobs AND even take up MORE as the need to do so becomes obvious – without seeing it as extra work! I discuss ten (10) strategies you can employ to make the foregoing happen.
Encourage an atmosphere for creativity to flourish. This can be done by actively engaging the minds of employees by involving them in taking crucial decisions about issues concerning the way they do their jobs.
Additionally, requesting their contributions towards solving problems affecting their jobs – and recognising/rewarding them accordingly – would stimulate creativity. Invite them to make and/or send in ideas/suggestions.
Be receptive to them as they do so. Apply tact in rejecting “bad ideas” to avoid withdrawal.
You will need to explore effective ways of telling them what YOU want. It will also help greatly if you create an atmosphere where BL:AME is NEVER welcome and where instead the focus is on problem analysis/solving for IMPROVED productivity.
For instance you would encourage everyone to concern themselves with WHAT went wrong and WHY – and NOT with WHO DID IT.
In this way, when the WHO issue arises during problem solving, people responsible for the workplace activity/process under scrutiny will feel safe enough to admit where they erred, thereby helping the team QUICKLY UNDERSTAND and solve the problem.
What is your mental attitude about each employee’s ability? Do you believe you can help them become better or have you given up on them as “unchangeable” or ‘hopeless”?
I suggest you adopt the former attitude because NO one human being can come to you as a perfect employee. It will often be up to you to “guide” those who work with you to do so in THE manner you believe will help the organisation get the results it NEEDS.
You need to enhance the skills of your employees by providing (and encouraging) spontaneous job-based coaching to complement whatever formal training they are exposed to.
For instance you would latch on to ANY opportunity to carryout informal coaching of your reports etc, towards helping them understand how management utilises the information they document, and why it is so important for documentation to be accurate and complete.
You could tactfully/subtly use peer pressure to inspire positive attitudinal changes amongst the workforce. It is normal in most workplace to have “Star” workers and average workers.
The challenge for you will be to find a way to make the “Star” worker share(or “infect” others with) his/her expertise, knowledge and positive work ethics. With proper encouragement, you will find that such individuals readily develop the instinct to help others perform better on the job.
The other average workers are likely to see the “recognition/respect” the “Star” worker enjoys, and consequently appreciate his/her efforts to help them. Plus they would be interested in acquiring improved competence through him/her.
Properly done, this strategy can greatly reduce the amount of direct effort you and other “leaders” need to put in to get improved on-the-job performances.
You will need to insist your team members ALWAYS remember to view their jobs from a broader perspective and not narrow into their micro activities.
Task each individual in a specific unit of the department for instance to study what goes on in the other units in the department even though s/he does not have to work there(yet). They should make it their business to know/understand what the next man’s job involves.
This is important because many times they have to interface with the person on the other side of the fence in doing their own jobs.If they understand what his/her job entails they will more readily appreciate how their actions (or inactions) can affect the person.
Getting them to do this will break down the mental barriers that many people build because they work in physically separate divisions or sections of the same organisation. .
The result will be that communication happens more readily/freely thereby making it possible for workplace activities to proceed more successfully to the company’s benefit.
Make it obvious that “No bosses” are wanted in your workplace, and that only leaders are welcome.
The difference between these two types of people is that the former seek to DOMINATE others in a bid to get them to deliver results, while the latter work to INSPIRE others to perform.
You will need to discard the “Shoot the messenger” mentality – if it exists in any form. You MUST make it SAFE for people to make mistakes.
If you allow a blame culture to take root in your workplace, people will begin to HIDE their mistakes, and will rarely ever own up – causing major problems for the company.
Mistakes that do not get stopped via corrective feedback to those responsible will get repeated and lead to customer complaints, losses/wastes etc.
If you want people to develop on the job, you must be willing to accept that they WILL make mistakes on the job – because they are human! Your role will be to help them learn from those mistakes and work hard to AVOID repeating them.
Anytime a person fails or makes a mistake, s/he must be made to identity and understand the cause. S/he must learn to use failure as a learning platform.
You could get individual departments to see themselves as mini businesses within the larger company. And the department heads can choose to regard the different units within their departments as MICRO businesses within each departmental MINI business.
Each micro business will have a MISSION which would basically be to achieve a RESULT that must be delivered. Or to complete a TASK that must be performed successfully.
All of which will enable other micro business(es) and the MINI business to achieve their own goals – which are all linked to the organisation’s overall purpose.
At each level (Macro, Mini and Micro), the relevant team members would decide on their individual mission statements – drawing from what they have to do within the bigger departmental unit.
This approach allows all members of the organisation to get a more tangible indication of what is required of them. They are therefore better able to understand what they need to do and why.
How do you go about introducing/implementing change that you deem necessary? When people do not understand why the way they work – for instance – is being changed, they can resist it sometimes in subtle ways that can have very harmful consequences for the organisation.
You need to take pains to explain to the team members – especially those affected (positively or negatively) by it – WHY the change is being made, so they ‘feel” involved and understand the THINKING behind the decision.
Over time, their appreciation of management’s expectations from them (and its “thinking”) in relation to their jobs will improve.
In many organisations – especially those with large workforces – sometimes the majority of employees tend to hold the (mistaken?) belief that the company’s profits are exorbitant, and that management is unjust and unfair.
This is what causes the typical situation where employees unions maintain a confrontational posture towards the company’s leadership – viewing decisions/policies with suspicion etc.
It would help if you – and others in senior/leadership positions – make a conscious effort to formally (and informally) communicate management’s positive sides. More importantly, your actions should inspire trust and confidence amongst the workforce.
Employees should for instance not (or no longer?) have to contend with what someone once described as “closed doors and tense, guarded statements“.
As one poster I came across on a factory wall once put it : “Limited Information or No Information = NEGATIVE information“.
When the employees speak with one member of the senior management team about “what’s going on”, the information s/he gives MUST be reasonably consistent with what another “senior” person would supply at any other time on the same subject.
Make your people feel recognised – and reward them when possible – for the effort they make every day to do their jobs well.
Doing this, in addition to applying other ideas like those outlined above is very likely to make your employees deliver more VALUE on their jobs everyday they come in – without need for financial incentives of any sort.
NB: This article is based on excerpts from a piece written and first published online by Tayo K. Solagade via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com – and Ezinearticles.com – on 18th September 2007.
