Employee motivation book

[DCForward]

I am an aviation writer who is now writing a book titled Duhh! Lessons in Employee Motivation from the World's Best (and Worst) Airlines.

My premise is that creating a motivated employee team that delivers superb service because they love their jobs isn't rocket science. My intention is to show that there are essentially two categories of carrier: Type A has a dictatorial management attitude that doesn't see the need for employee empowerment or two-way communication. This results in a feeling of "us and them" among employees, ultimately often leading to mistrust and unrest. Type B
carriers have upper management that has an open door policy, seeks employee involvement, gives them freedom to do their jobs without fear--with the result that the employees love their jobs and of course what follows is much improved employee loyalty, customer service and corporate profits.

I am asking employees across the industry the same set of questions and have found (from the 1,100 responses so far) an amazing dichotomy between the two management types--to the same questions.

I would like to include as many airline employees as possible in this research, and would be very grateful if you would answer the survey, which I have posted online at <a href="http://www.ReachForward.com/Survey1" target="_blank">www.ReachForward.com/Survey1</a>

I will let you know the results when I am finished in February. All results will be kept totally confidential--noone's identity will be revealed.

Thanks for your help as I prepare a book that I beleive will be essential reading for enlightened managers of the future.

David C. Forward
Senior Editor
Airways magazine

[email protected]

[Blacksheep]

Mmmm. Interesting questionnaire David; being totally honest with us are you? Looks suspiciously like an input document for a research paper in Occupational Psychology to me. Which Journal should we check to see the finished paper? <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

**********************************
Through difficulties to the cinema

[slj]

Blacksheep

If you look at the page in question and the n click on About David you will probably gather that if you want to see the outcome of the survey you will have to pay for it either in book form or by attending a seminar.

[DCForward]

Thanks, slj, for choosing to find the cloud in the silver lining I had posted. I have already gathered over 3,000 responses from airline employees only too happy to share what they like and what they don't about their jobs...all so that this can be a meaningful study for the benefit of all concerned. Nobody ever suggested I make them pay for the results before and it never even crossed my mind, but since you brought it up... Are you offering to pay, or you a management type who wants to discourage others from telling how they feel about their managers? (!!)

And Blacksheep, trust me, I didn't even know how to spell "Occupational Pyschologist" until you posted your question! Seriously, I ain't one of they, just a poor starving writer who has for years also done a lot of public speaking on leadership skills. I cite so many examples of good and bad management from the carriers I cover and write about for Airways magazine, that I decided to put it all together in a book (my 6th).

Cheers,

David

[Flintstone]

Ummmmm, okay.

I'll fill it out this time but if I find out you've been lying to me I'll come round your house and kick your dog <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[Cornish Jack]

AvWriter
I get that worrying feeling that, yet again, the "open door" policy is being equated with good management i.e. "My door is always open; any problems, just pop in and have a chat."
What's wrong with that?
Well, many years ago, a major motor manufacturer in this country was having to deal with almost daily disruptions from unofficial strikes. The new boss found that there was just such an "open office" policy in being. His first instruction to his managers, on taking office, was...'There will be no more 'open door' arrangements - any manager who wishes to implement it will make his way to the open gate of the factory and leave. Those remaining will get off their backsides and GET OUT ON THE FACTORY FLOOR and find out what is troubling the workforce. YOU go to THEM... not the other way round.' Result - for a while, at least, a major improvement in performance.
The industrial psychologists et al will, no doubt, suggest that it was all down to the known effects of turbulence. Mebbe... but I still think that it's a better way to do things if done in sincerity. However, after nearly fifty years of being 'managed' both by the military and their civilian counterparts, I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen !! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Don D Cake]

Flintstone....

Bit harsh on the dog, eh? I would hardly be his fault. Can't you just go and pour creosote on AvWriter's lawn instead?

[Flintstone]

Good idea Don but rather than waste creosote I'll just nip up the airfield and hang around with a jerry can for when they do the next 100 hourly.

By the way, I agree with the tip on using a bigger hammer but for precision work I prefer to drift it in with the back of an axe.


(PS I really did fill it in Av Writer)

[DCForward]

What do you guys have against my dog. And my beautiful well-tended lawn. Take my wife. Please.

[Flintstone]

AvWriter, there may be room for negotiation here.

Please provide photographs of your lawn, dog and wife <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[penguin]

<a href="http://www.pfdf.org/leaderbooks/l2l/spring97/kelleher.html" target="_blank">http://www.pfdf.org/leaderbooks/l2l/spring97/kelleher.html</a>

[Shore Guy]

Penquin,
You beat me to it. In the U.S., it seems to me there are two schools.

The correct way to hire,train and motivate airline employees - Southwest

The wrong way to hire, train, and motivate airline employees - everyone else

(No, I'm not Southwest) Herb's business/motivational plan in superbly simple and effective. Just look at post 9/11 actions of Southwest vs. the rest of the industry.

I have only two management "heroes" in this business after 30+ years. Herb K., and Gordon Bethune. I some ways, what Gordon did was tougher - take a bad airline/combination of airlines and make them one and well.

[Manual Start]

Shore Guy, Amen! I am not employed by SWA but it seems to me that Herb is the only guy to get it right. No, it's not atomic or rocket science, it's called "basic common sense and loyalty." An acute sense of the obvious not a fancy MBA degree. Many airline executives and Ceo's "talk the talk" but how many actually "walk the walk." Avwriter may have good intentions but is it just another business article or book for those in the ivory tower? Another smoke and mirror tactic for the sake of the bottom line. Good old American corporate instant gratification to appease the Holy Grail (the shareholders). Maybe someday management will come to realize that people come first and they will look back to Herbs basic philosophy of loyalty to your employees. Keep it simple, stupid (KISS)!

[middlepath]

AV writer
I know one airline which is more like type "A" you mentioned. CX.