Rocket Fuel Comes in All Flavors

WHAT DRIVES PERFORMANCE IS UNIQUE TO EACH PERSON

Have you ever had an associate who wasn’t performing as you expected or, wanted?

When you're not getting the performance you want, you must understand why.

If you don't understand why someone's not performing as you expect, you're powerless to correct it. As the saying goes, "You can't fix what you don't understand".

It’s also why getting the performance you want from the people you’re managing can be so difficult. What makes one person ‘step up’ and perform doesn’t necessarily work for others. That’s a challenge. And, a problem if you don't figure it out.

CAN DO (Skills) and WANT TO (Motivation)

When you break it down, an associate's performance is a function of 2 factors.

First, the ‘CAN DO’ factor. Let’s call this their skills and abilities to do something you want. Second, the ‘WANT TO’ factor. We’ll call this their motivation to perform as you expect. If you have someone who CAN do something and is MOTIVATED to use their ability to actually do it, you'll have the performance you want.

Skills can be developed. Typically, through education and training of some kind. But motivation is more of a ‘given’. In fact, you’re literally ‘given’ all the motivators you need to motivate someone when you hire them and make them a part of your team.

THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF MOTIVATORS

The factors that drive behavior in your people -- their motivators -- fall into a few, basic categories. For example, you’ve probably heard that “people do things for their reasons, not ours”. Very true. Now, substitute ‘motivators’ for 'reasons' and you can see how these 2 terms mean essentially the same thing.

Research conducted by the industry trade association LIMRA International, in conjunction with the MDRT, surveyed a number of top producers. They were asked, “Other than an income, what does working do for you?” When analyzed, their answers fell into about 12 categories of behavioral ‘motivators’ -- e.g. ‘prestige’, ‘recognition’, ‘achievement’, ‘power’, etc.

In my work with leading producers, I find there are typically 6 ‘motivators’ that can explain why most producers will do anything -- including things you want them to do. These are Growth, Power, Achievement, Social Recognition, Emotional Satisfaction and Fear of Consequences.

Of these, all but one are ‘gain’ oriented. Only ‘Fear of Consequences’ suggests behavior is chosen because of the motivation to avoid something. That’s interesting because most people in the general population are motivated to AVOID consequences.

HOWEVER . . . successful producers, tend to be oriented toward what they’ll ‘gain’ from their behavior or work. They’re driven more by the valued outcomes their behavior is likely to generate for them than behavioral motivators that are designed to help them avoid painful consequences. That's a key insight you should note and use.

THERE ARE NO RIGHT or WRONG MOTIVATORS . . . ANY WILL WORK IF YOU USE THEM PROPERLY

At some point, you’ll find yourself seeking to get someone to perform as you wish. When you do, which motivators will you want to use? Are some better than others? Are some more likely to get someone to perform than not? In a word, “No!”. Each motivator works equally well . . . IF . . . they are used with someone who considers that particular motivator legitimate . . . for them.

One adviser told my client he’d be motivated to gain “more time with my family”.

We helped him create a new behavior/activity plan to do what he had to do in just 4 days a week -- giving him 3 day weekends to be with his family. Ironically, in reducing his work 'week', he actually became far more efficient, more productive and more profitable for his practice.

By the way, “money” is one of the LEAST effective motivators of top producers. Why?

They usually have enough of it that its value is marginal compared to a newer, younger or more struggling associate.

Also, the ‘fear of losing it’ is a non-issue, generally speaking, because they know they can make as much of it as they want. Hence, it’s not the ‘carrot’ that works as well as it does with newer or less successful producers. The point to remember is this . . . it’s what having the money enables someone to do or enjoy that gets their attention . . . and effort that matters!

YOU MUST LEARN THE TOP 3 MOTIVATORS OF SOMEONE TO GET THEM TO PERFORM AS YOU LIKE

How? ASK! Learn what it would take, other than money, to make your producer want to work harder or longer? If you figure that out . . . you’ll really have something!

PERFORMANCE COMES . . . FROM BUILDING SKILLS and CONNECTING TO SOMEONE’S MOTIVATIONS

If the CAN DO factor is lacking, build it with training and education. If the WANT TO factor is missing, find it and reward it!
Put it all together and get the performance you want and your associates are, potentially, capable of delivering for you.

Remember: Some planes will fly on 'Jet Fuel' . . . others on rubber bands. If you know what it takes to get your 'plane' to 'take-off' . . . you'll be flying high in no time!