According to Edwards Deming, there are three things which all people really want:
A: Autonomy
B: Belonging
C: Capability
The more we learn our ABCs, the more literate we become in the art of working with people. Everyone wants to feel like they have a say in their job and are given the space to do it.
If that surprises you, then take a random poll and ask everyone you meet how much they like their micro-managing boss, and for once, they might all agree on one thing. Everyone wants to feel like they belong to something larger than themselves. Now that might be a tricky one to back up, but consider this, “fitting in”, making a contribution, having a national identity, having friends or meditating in the woods, are all things we do to feel that we are part of something larger than ourselves. Finally, people want to feel and be capable at what they do. No one comes to work saying to themselves: aha! I can’t wait to do a bad job; I mean a really bad job!
If we are able to give people autonomy, belonging, and capability, we will naturally increase their satisfaction and performance. A very interesting theory, but what are its practical implications?
Deming, in his book The New Economics, offers some tips around designing a job description that will increase the performance of the employee and the flow of work in a business or organization.
“A job description must do more than prescribe motions; do this, do that, this way, that way. It must tell what the work will be used for, how this work contributes to the aim of the [organization or business].” Also, a job description needs to explain the work-flow. How will this work benefit other divisions or departments? How will knowledge be transferred? Where does the employee fit in the work cycle? This job description will have the motions, but the motions will be self-explanatory when you know the purpose of each task, to whom is it useful, how it will be used, when and to whom it will be handed over in the cycle.
When an employee understands the purpose and flow of work, there is no need to micro-manage them. They want to do a good job; they have the understanding necessary to do a good job; let them!
- Lulwa
