Maintaining Morale

Gerry DevinePractice Manager Adviser

First Practice Management (FPM) Group

Moral

“Concerned with the principlesof right and wrong behaviour.”

• If man evolved from monkeys, how come we still have monkeys?

• Why does the Easter bunny carry eggs? Rabbits don't lay eggs.

• Why isn't there mouse-flavoured cat food?

• Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

We would have needed to answer some of the really BIG questions such as....

MoralE

“The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a

particular time”

Is there any link between moral and morale...

Leaders with strong moral principles help to foster good employee morale

The differences between a Manager and a LEADER

• Drives employees• Depends on

authority• Inspires fear• Says “I”• Places blame for the

breakdown• Knows how it’s done• Uses people• Takes credit• Commands• Says “Go”

• Coaches employees• Depends on goodwill• Generates

enthusiasm• Says “We”• Fixes breakdown• Shows how it’s done• Develops people • Gives credit• Asks• Says “let’s go”

+ +

OptimismCommitment Initiative

MORALE

Therefore is morale just a “soft” issue for nice

leaders ?

Source “The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Team”Co Author Ken Blanchard

Essential characteristics of a high performing team

Definite bottomline payback potential

Who/what can influence morale ?

Morale can yearn for yesteryear

Morale can be confused by the present

Morale can be wary of the future

Need to read the minds of all your stakeholders

Change is fast becoming our only constant...

The Morale/Motivation Matrix

MythsMyth #1 – “I can motivate people to improve morale”

Myth #2 – “Money helps improve morale”

Myth #3 – “Fear is a damn good motivator”

Myth #4 – “I know what improves my morale, so I know what helps my employees”

Myth #5 – “Increased job satisfaction means increased job performance”

What the experts say...

Six major theories of motivation

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

Basic Principles • Increasing the morale of employees starts with motivating yourself.

• Key to supporting the morale of your employees is understanding what motivates each of them.

• Recognise that supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task.

A round up of good advice• Giving all staff well-structured appraisals,

and on going training and support for personal and career development.

• Training line managers in people management skills.

• Having well-defined teams that regularly review how they are doing and get to know each other.

• Creating space for staff to reflect on patient care challenges

• Setting coherent goals for quality and safety, from board to ward

• Articulating values and showing how they translate into behaviour.

• Acting on staff feedback – and letting staff make the improvements they identify.

• Using hard and soft intelligence about staff experience and morale to seek out problems and target support for solving them.

Steps you can take…

• Reward it when you see it

•Reward it soon after you see it

•Establish goals that are SMARTER

•Celebrate achievements

“You need to light fires inside people not under

people”

Take home message

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Get engaged

Thank you for your time...

Any questions?