In the corporate world, job titles confer power: positional power. You do what the vice president says because she is the VP, what the chief says because he is the Chief. In the corporate sector, managers have other tools with which to motivate and reward their team as well. Money options include salary increases, promotions, stock options, and bonuses, whereas nonmonetary rewards encompass office space, leading a team of direct reports or support personnel, greater visibility, and tangible things such as company cars. Those are some mighty attractive "carrots." Demotions, salary cuts, removal of privileges, loss of bonus, and even dismissal make up the dark side of the tool set. Of course, the "stick" can also be applied as a motivational tool. It is fairly easy to lead and motivate a team with either a carrot or a stick in hand.
However, not every manager has such attractive carrots-or harsh punishments-to give out. In some fields, there are few carrots and few sticks. As for titles, so often in public health our titles fail to convey what we do and fall far short of symbolizing any "power of the office." So what is one to do with pockets empty of such tools? In the public realm, being an effective manager means working with different tools. None can be more effective than personal power.
Public health managers can use personal power to be effective leaders. Think of a brick building. Bricks are important. They make up the external structure; they are tough and durable, but it is not the bricks that hold the whole thing together: it is the mortar that keeps the bricks in place and the whole building from collapsing. The bricks are the people in an organization. The mortar is the positive personal regard that keeps the organizational bricks there and working together to achieve common goals.
Positive personal regard combines how we treat and speak to one another, how we appreciate the contributions made, and how we respect one another's role in the organization. It includes how we listen to each other with intent and meaning and how our own personal behaviors are worthy of respect as well. Positive personal regard in the workplace means that we honestly respect our colleagues and believe in their genuineness, even if we might disagree with them about the best course of action to take.
A manager can take several steps to develop better positive personal regard. These can be put into three broad areas: inclusion, control, and appreciation. Research led by William Shutz1 has provided a good understanding of how people are fundamentally oriented to interpersonal relationships.2,3 Let us explore inclusion, control, and appreciation to see what you can do to make your organizations stronger through mortar, not bricks.
Inclusion
Most people who work in public health do it because they care about serving others. Inclusion is about feeling like you belong to something more than yourself. It is about being involved. And, for many, it is about participating, being recognized, feeling distinct, and knowing your contribution makes a concrete difference. As a manager, you can do many things to inculcate a feeling of inclusion in your colleagues.
To send nonverbal signals that your team is significant, listen attentively, make eye contact with them, acknowledge their presence and successes, introduce them at meetings, acknowledge their participation, and create opportunities for people to participate. For some, inclusion is about having a sense of prestige in what they do and in the respect others give them. Managers who fundamentally feel their colleagues are significant "show up with ears" (ie, they listen), and integrate everyone into the discussion because they feel their contributions are important. Inclusion can be a powerful motivator. When workers feel significant in the office, they are much more likely to give that extra 10 percent that smoothes out the bureaucracy's red tape. Workers who understand their importance to the mission do not leave until the job is done and done well.
Control
Two types of control issues motivate workers. Some want control: they are motivated by power, authority, influence, and responsibility. A manager has to assess whether he or she can mete out responsibility and authority as a part of job growth and rewards, and do so, if appropriate. Many employees are highly motivated when they hear their boss say "it's your show, you're in charge" because it feels good-it feels competent-to be in control, and, in general, people are motivated by feeling competent. Certainly, they are unmotivated when they are made to feel incompetent.4 This motivation exists even if what one is in charge of is relatively small. Being able to decide what color your office is painted, for example, can go far in helping people to feel in control of their daily destiny at work. Being able to delegate effectively is an important skill that many managers find difficult.
Workers also appreciate a type of control exerted by "the boss." Even if the opportunities to mete out responsibility are few and far between, many people are motivated by working with someone who, in addition to being fair, honors deadlines, keeps meetings focused, and remains mindful of time limits. Working with a supervisor who offers structure, gently directs actions, and suggests closure is what many workers respect and need in order to get their jobs done efficiently. On the other hand, managers who are chronically late or unorganized, let meetings run over time, and are not mindful of deadlines tend to diminish the motivation of their subordinates.
Appreciation
The third area, what Shutz termed "affection" but what organizationally can be thought of as appreciation, is the most powerful motivating factor of the three. In offices, this is how we express support, encouragement, or appreciation for others. When we say, I liked your report, applaud their presentation, or even ask about a colleague's weekend, we are sending a message beyond the context of the job: we are saying that we appreciate them. It sends a very deep message about their worth to us and to the organization and speaks to the "organizational family." Organizations have many ways to give an "organizational hug" to employees. The Employee of the Month is a common way to recognize individuals. Here at the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, we have a much coveted parking spot right next to the door that used to be the director's but is now given to employees who go "above and beyond" the call of duty for that month. Some of us have nice plaques of appreciation or awards on the walls. Our marketing team does a nice job of noting accomplishments in the IMPACT newsletter, complete with photos of our team members. Go one step further: contact your local newspaper or televised news program and see whether they will run a story on your best and brightest programs in their "good news" section. That is a wonderful way to highlight your staff-by sharing with the community just who are their shining stars!!
Appreciation is important because, more than money matters, people leave jobs because they have lost their emotional connection to the work they do and who they do it with.5,6 Finding ways to creatively and sincerely thank employees-to acknowledge that they are not cogs in the organizational wheel-is not just good manners, it is good management.
Other actions a manager can take to show appreciation include mediating conflicts, identifying the energy and resistance levels in the group, helping the group to feel supported, and providing feedback.7 These activities send the message that your team means enough to you that you will work for their mutual harmony.
Of course, in public health, we do not simply work with our own teams. We also must work with our community partners-often groups of stakeholders over whom we have absolutely no authority or control. Understanding what motivates people, what they care about, why they do what they do can be a big asset of personal power for a public health manager who must convene these diverse groups and lead them to consensus and partnership. Getting our own team, community partners, legislative stakeholders, and community members to the table with ears and eyes open, hearts and minds present can be difficult. Often the most important tool in our arsenal is positive personal regard. It is the mortar for a strong public health system and for healthier communities.
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