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President's Message
Welcome to this edition of The Naviator. And I'd like to take this opportunity to personally welcome Olivia Bustamante to the OSI team as our new Intern / Program Coordinator. Olivia recently moved to San Diego from Arizona to pursue a Master's Degree in Industrial / Organizational Psychology at San Diego State University. When she's not schooling or working she enjoys sports, hiking and the occasional glass of wine. We're looking forward to working with Olivia! I'd like to also note here a new addition to the OSI product family - the "Foodworks" simulation. Like it's predecessor, the Paper Nation simulation, "Foodworks" combines a large scale behavioral simulation with a computer model to provide participants a full business context, and realistic performance feedback, as teams of 9 try to double the size of the business over a 6 year period. Originally designed for the Quick Service Restaurant giant, Wendy's International Inc., OSI has obtained exclusive rights to market the simulation. We've already had our first successful program so please contact us for additional information if this interests you.
We're continuing our Big Six competency series in this newsletter but look for a new series on strategy coming soon. | 
Bruce Griffiths |
This month, the featured article in The Navigator is the fifth in our series on the Big Six competencies necessary for exceptional performance as a leader. In this edition we're going to focus on Drive/Energy.
A leader's personal motivation is an extremely complex matter, and there are multiple theories on the topic. Abraham Maslow, the famous psychologist, theorized a human motivational need hierarchy composed of a series of satisfaction thresholds; each threshold is a necessary, but not sufficient, requirement for ascending to a more mature motivational state. The first threshold is existential (i.e., the basic needs for food, water, shelter, safety, etc.); the next is the tribal motivation to have satisfactory relationships. Only after those needs are met can one finally rise to pure growth and actualization motives (i.e., more mature human and leadership drives).
Frederick Herzberg's theory isolated two factors correlated with motivation at work. The first is actually more associated with dissatisfaction; factors include company policy, supervision, relationship with boss, work conditions, salary and relationship with peers. The other factor, which he called the motivators, is correlated with true satisfaction. These motivational factors include achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement and growth; these represent the source of positive organizational energy.
Both of these theories suggest that the more mature motives of growth, challenge, achievement and fulfilling relationships are part of an advanced leader's drive. Yet David McClelland, a noted leadership researcher, added a "need for power" to the basic leadership motives of achievement and affiliation. He found that the best leaders have a natural resonance in positions of authority: They enjoy leading. A substantial part of a leader's energy is purely physical. Diet, exercise and balance provide the vigor required to maintain the energy and positive outlook needed; creativity and energy are not associated with being a workaholic. For a leader this means having avocations, friendships and diversions that provide recreation. In fact, our research shows six factors are essential to a balanced and energetic life for a leader:
1. Vocation: The choice of leadership as a true calling; a genuine desire
to do good things through others.
2. Avocation: Hobbies and pursuits outside of work that are refreshing
and recreational.
3. Relationships: Genuine frienships that provide emotional support.
4. Materiality: A degree of financial independence that provides security.
5. Spirituality: A satisfying world view that helps put work (and life) in a
meaningful context.
6. Health: The diet, exercise and rest necessary for the energy required
to lead.
Dysfunctional leaders, or leaders who ultimately derail often have big gaps in one or more of these areas. Leaders who have a mature motivational engine (a balanced life with a personal need to achieve and lead) can get inspiration through truly meaningful work. In an organizational context, this translates into a positive mission, vision and values that provide identity and meaning.
Copyright 2010, Organization Systems International, San Diego, CA, USA |
Organization Systems International
Celebrating 30 Years in Business!
OSI is celebrating it's 30th birthday this year. Since being founded in 1980, OSI has provided consulting services to more than 200 public and private organizations. Recently the company was awarded with their second Citation for Excellence in Practice from ASTD (American Society of Training and Development).
For three decades OSI has delivered client success with a high-performance approach designed to improve operational efficiency and sustain customer relationships. Each team member brings a history of experience, a high level of passion, and energy to help develop working solutions for organizations. We look forward to many more years of successful business practice to come.
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At Organization Systems International, we are celebrating 30 years of quality, service, and innovation. We deliver client success with a high-performance approach designed to enhance occupational relationships, improve operational efficiency, and sustain customer relationships.
OSI Clients Include: |
American Greetings
Blizzard Entertainment
Bowling Green State University
Dow Corning Corp.
Fleetwood
GE Capital
Insurance Company of the West
Limited Brands
Nike, Inc.
Northwest Pipe
Portland State University
Schneider Trucking Company ServiceMaster
Siemens
Standard Insurance Company
State Auto Insurance
The Walt Disney Company
Wendy's International Inc. |
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