by Bill Paxton
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this story to a friend
I learn a lot from my clients. Take the other day for
example. A senior executive was reflecting on a long and impressive
career. Then he paused, leaned forward, and almost quietly said, “I got
some really good career advice when I was young. An older friend told me
to make sure I worked for a boss that would teach and mentor me, and that
if I didn’t have such a boss, I should get one.” By following this
advice, he changed jobs frequently, but is very satisfied now as he looks
back over his accomplishments.
Not bad advice. It articulated what we all want: to grow
and develop personally and professionally. There’s opportunity in
following such advice. But as a manager, there’s even more opportunity
if you choose to be that kind of mentoring boss for your direct reports.
That made me think of the Twelve Questions developed by
the Gallup Organization. They surveyed a million people to determine what
it is that talented employees need from their workplace. In the end Gallup
developed twelve questions for managers and their employees to help ensure
a positive, healthy work environment. They were published in First Break
All the Rules, What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by
Buckingham and Coffman. Employees are asked to rate each statement on a
scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means “I strongly disagree” and 5 means “I
strongly agree.” Here they are:
1. I know what is expected of me at work. 2. I have the
materials and equipment I need to do my work right. 3. At work, I have the
opportunity to do what I do best every day. 4. In the last seven days, I
have received recognition or praise for good work. 5. My supervisor, or
someone at work, seems to care about me as a person. 6. There is someone
at work who encourages my development. 7. At work, my opinions seem to
count. 8. The mission/purpose of my company make me feel like my work is
important. 9. My co-workers are committed to doing a good job. 10. I have
a best friend at work. 11. In the last six months, I have talked with
someone about my progress. 12. At work, I have had opportunities to learn
and grow.
These are great questions! They’re almost perfect.
Almost. I have a lot of respect for the work done by Gallup. However, they
left out one question, and here it is: “How often do you reach your
Payoff at work?”
In the end, this may be the most important question of
all.
If you’re scratching your head over the definition of
Payoff, you’re not alone. While the concept has been around for decades,
it has mostly flown under the radar. But a manager who helps his or her
employees reach their Payoff at work will reap the benefits of maximized
performance and loyalty. Here’s why:
Everyone has a Payoff. All of our talents and
motivations drive us consciously, unconsciously and continually to reach
our Payoff. When we get there, it is incredibly satisfying. When we
can’t, it’s frustrating.
We know we’ve reached our Payoff when we have that
deep sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. There is a certain
energizing lift that can only be experienced by reaching our Payoff. The
experience is so compelling that we will endure hardships to reach it.
(There is a wonderful true story on our website illustrating this. http://www.paxtonconsulting.com/employee_retention.htm
)
The Payoff for some is to pioneer. For others it is to
improve things. Some reach their Payoff by doing what others say is
impossible. Each person has a Payoff, but the irony is that few can say
what it is.
In the end, a person’s Payoff is what they are
designed to do. When we do work that cooperates with our design, we
flourish. When our work calls us to continually do what we are not
designed to do, it is like using a ballpoint pen as a hammer. It works for
awhile, but eventually the pen breaks.
Tens of thousands of people suffer from job-related,
situational depression. The reason is because they cannot get to their
Payoff at work. They experience a constant outflow of energy without a
corresponding sense of satisfaction. To borrow a phrase from C.S. Lewis,
“It’s always winter, but never Christmas.” Each day continues to
drain them. We often call it burnout. The remedy is not time off, it’s
getting into a job that allows them to reach their Payoff.
Every now and then you hear a story about a very
talented executive, doctor, engineer, (you fill in the blank) who walks
away from their career to do something entirely different. What’s that
about? Often it’s about Payoff. Just because someone is good at
something, doesn’t mean that they find it satisfying. I will be the
first to trumpet the importance of talent, but talent needs direction from
Payoff for the person to be fulfilled.
I’m often asked, “Is Payoff the same as passion?”
The answer is No. Passions come and go, but a person’s Payoff is
consistent throughout their life. I may be passionate about quality for a
few years, and then become passionate about employee retention, but
through it all my Payoff of wanting to improve things remains constant.
Do you know what your Payoff is? Do you know the Payoff
of each person reporting to you? Answering these questions might be the
most relevant thing you can do to promote a healthy, vibrant workplace.
Written by: Bill Paxton, Apple Valley, MN, USA
Bill@PaxtonConsulting.com
http://www.PaxtonConsulting.com
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© The Donvër Corporation
2000
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