1. 10 FAIL -PROOF STEPS TO MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES
PRESENTED BY
PEDRO P. FORMENT
Jackson Lewis LLP
576-
Tel: (305) 576-7600
E-mail: pedro.forment@jacksonlewis.com

2. BASIC PREMISE
1. UNHAPPY/MISERABLE/UNMOTIVATED EMPLOYEES
& MANAGEMENT CANNOT CREATE A
PRODUCTIVE/POSITIVE/SUCCESSFUL WORKPLACE
WHAT COMES OUT REFLECTS WHAT WAS PUT IN
2. YOU GET RETURNS ONLY ON INVESTMENTS
NO FREE LUNCH- EVEN WINNING THE LOTTO
REQUIRES PLANNING AND WORK

3. 3. MONEY IS RARELY A LONG-TERM MOTIVATOR IN
CREATING A POSITIVE/PRODUCTIVE WORK
ENVIRONMENT THAT BENEFITS ALL
- JUST READ THE NEWSPAPER OR WATCH TV
(INDIVIDUAL GREED AT EXPENSE OF COMPANY/EMPLOYEES)
- MAY HELP KEEP FOLKS FROM BECOMING LESS
MOTIVATED- BUT RARELY WILL IT MAKE THEM MORE
MOTIVATED
4. EVERYONE IS MOTIVATED DIFFERENTLY, EVEN THOUGH
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERYONE WORKING TOWARDS
SAME END.
- DON’T ASSUME YOU KNOW HOW TO MOTIVATE OTHERS
BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT MOTIVATES YOU

4. 5. A MOTIVATED EMPLOYEE AND WORKPLACE SHARE
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Respect
2. Communication
3. Consistency
4. Fairness
5. Accountability
6. Recognition
7. Opportunity
8. Innovation
9. Common Sense/Good Sense
10. Continuous Evolution to Next Level

5. THE 10 FAIL-PROOF STEPS
TO MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

6. SO WHAT ELSE DO I GET BESIDES MOTIVATED
EMPLOYEES/WORKPLACE?
Significantly reduce:
- Discrimination/harassment/whistleblower claims
- Employees finding it necessary to get an attorney to
address workplace issues/concerns
- Number of toxic employees (you will weed these out)
- Amounts paid to attorneys to fix problems
Maximize:
- Competent productive employees = long-term viability
and growth of company

7. 1: RESPECT
NEVER MET A MOTIVATED PERSON WHO DID NOT
FEEL RESPECTED - TAKE INVENTORY OF HOW
MANAGERS/SUPERVISORS INTERACT WITH
EMPLOYEES AND VICE VERSA
Red Flags:
- Consistently at the center of complaints
- Failing to appreciate difference between “speaking
with” and “talking at”
- Understand impact of body language (turning away, rolling
eyes, “the Hand”)
- The “turf”, “clan” mentality (these are “my people” and
those are “your people”)

8. TAKE INVENTORY OF HOW EMPLOYEES INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER
RED FLAGS
* Same rules as with managers (prior slide)
* Listen to customer service or vendor
complaints/concerns (play back tapes or share information
with employee)
* Employees may have very different notions of
what constitutes “respectful” behavior depending on
background (social, cultural, etc.).

9. TAKE ACTION TO DEFINE OR TWEAK WHAT IS
AND WHAT BECOMES ACCEPTABLE WORKPLACE
CONDUCT ROOTED IN RESPECT
-- Just because we are all “different” does not mean
behavior/conduct cannot be uniformly respectful-
(Hogwash)
-- Address managers/supervisors/employees individually
and give very SPECIFIC EXAMPLES of conduct that is
disrespectful or problematic and EXPLAIN why it is so
-- Incorporate discussion of workplace interactions into staff
meetings, performance reviews, one-on one meetings
-- Provide opportunity for improvement but know when to
call it quits and remove toxic behavior (employee)

10. 2: COMMUNICATION
YOU CANNOT BE MOTIVATED TO RUN IF YOU HAVE
NOT BEEN TOLD WHAT DIRECTION IS THE FINISH
LINE
- OPENLY acknowledge the opportunities for improvement.
Allow others to do so as well (communication is two
ways)
- Discuss how to move forward (with everyone)
- Clearly identify specific expectations with regard to
behavior/conduct; performance goals; conflict resolution;
tools for how these will be accomplished (with everyone)

11. - Folks are rarely born good communicators- it takes
practice. Build-in opportunities for communication
(unless you create a built-in structure; communication
will likely not happen)
- The impact of office behavior, communication,
interpersonal skills, is just as “real” or more so than any
other aspect of work. Unless you incorporate it into
everyday considerations at EVERY level, it will never be
acknowledged or made part of job expectations.

12. TOOLS:
(Meetings should be scheduled in advance and require that
folks come with solutions to issues identified)
1- Regular meeting between upper management
schedule in advance and give assignments
2- Regular meeting between Management-Supervisor
where part of agenda is set by the supervisors – the folks
with their ears to the ground
schedule in advance and give assignments
3- Regular Supervisors Only meetings where they identify:
- 3 issues to solve with solutions for each
- 3 issues they have solved and how
- 3 resources/tools they would like from upper
management to become more effective

13. 4- Regular Department/Team meetings where part of
agenda is set by employees
schedule in advance and give assignments
5- One–on- one meeting between Supervisor and Employee
(30 min) schedule in advance and give assignments
- Have employees identify what motivates them
- Have them tell you what they need to succeed
- Cannot motivate if you do not know your employee
6- Skip level meeting where employees meet with
Supervisor’s direct report
schedule in advance and give assignments

14. 7- Communication Board (Departmental/Team)
- rotating team (all levels) responsible for upkeep
8- Newsletters and Bulletins
- special achievements
- important information
- feedback from clients/customers
9- Share customer/client communications with employees
(positive and negative)
10- Have note-takers to prepare minutes of meetings and
distribute to all appropriate personnel

15. 3: CONSISTENCY
INDIVIDUALS ARE MOTIVATED WHEN THEY
UNDERSTAND DAY TO DAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE (CONSISTENCY)- ITS DIFFICULT TO BE
CONSISTENT UNLESS YOU HAVE:
-CLEARLY ESTABLISHED EXPECTATIONS & GOALS
-IDENTIFIABLE WAYS TO MEASURING OR ESTABLISH IF THESE
HAVE BEEN MET
-ABILITY TO COACH TO ENSURE GOALS ARE ACHIEVED
-PREDICTABLE OUTCOMES FOR MEETING/NOT
MEETING EXPECTATIONS/GOALS

16. TOOLS:
1. Performance Reviews
- Tailored to specific employee’s job duties and
conducted by person with actual knowledge of
employee’s work
- Train managers on how to perform effective
reviews
- Provide for employee input

17. 2. Clearly communicated policies or methods
- if the department has changed the way it handles
certain work; have department-wide meeting so
everyone hears same message at same time
3. Identify managers who are not complying with policies
and are doing it “their own way”
- may undermine overall efforts to keep folks
working in same direction
- creates potential for “clicks” and internal camps
- sends message that policies are not enforced
- sends message that things are arbitrary

18. 4. Consistency does not mean inflexible or rigid.
- Know when special circumstances require special
consideration and/or when to think outside the box
- There has to be a rational reason why you do things a certain
way; if you don’t understand why something is done or
expected to be done in a particular way, likelihood is folks may
not feel particularly invested to do it that way.
- If you have consistently done something that does not work or
has worked poorly, CHANGE IT. Consistency for consistency’s
sake is poor management.

19. 4: FAIRNESS
INDIVIDUALS ARE MOTIVATED IF THEY ARE
PLAYING ON A LEVEL FIELD WHERE
PERFORMANCE WILL BE THE JUDGING CRITERIA
TOOLS:
1- Recognize that management is not always right
2- You should expect the “total package”
(performance/behavior) but there is no place for “personal
attacks”
3- Coaching (not discipline) must always be for purposes of
elevating employee

20. 4- Ensure that similar behavior/performance issues are
handled and addressed similarly
- Should not depend on the luck of the draw - which
manager or department or supervisor
- Who “likes you” and who does not
- Whether or not you socialize outside (or your kids
go to the same school, etc)
5- As in life- don’t hold grudges
- Allow all employees to improve – don’t label them
(they will live up or down to your label)
- Look at them with fresh eyes and give them
opportunity to change behavior

21. 5: ACCOUNTABILITY
MOTIVATION COMES FROM KNOWING YOU ARE
CRITICAL TO SUCCESS AND EVERYONE WILL BE
HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ROLE
TOOLS:
1- You must articulate to each employee how that employee
makes a difference and how they are key to the success
of the office (conversely- do the same for those who are a
hindrance and provide specific steps to be achieved to be
a contributor)

22. 2- Never ignore problems or lapses. Unless you address
them you are sending the message that no one notices
or cares.
- Addressing does not mean crushing; coaching
must always be presented as an “investment” for
purposes of assisting the employee’s growth.
3- Its perfectly acceptable to reach a decision that an
employee is NOT suited for employment. There are
some who will not become good employees even under
the best of circumstances
- Give them an opportunity to shine elsewhere

23. 6: RECOGNITION
YES, IT DOES MATTER.
ITS NOT THE VALUE OF THE MEDAL AT THE
END OF THE RACE, IT’S WHAT IT REPRESENTS
(YEARS OF TRAINING AND HARD WORK)
WHAT WOULD YOU STOP DOING IF THERE WAS
NO ONE THERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR
EFFORTS (PAY MORTGAGE, WORK, LOVE, STAY
HEALTHY, DONATE AN ORGAN)

24. TOOLS
1- Define what excellence and “going above” means and
reward it regularly
- Don’t reward mediocrity; it lowers the bar
2- Recognition comes in all sorts of ways and does not
require cash
- Certificate of Appreciation
- Announcement at meetings, on boards, letter to
the President (and provide a copy to employee)
- Special participation as a speaker (what can
others learn from you)

25. 3- Reward as soon as you learn about it.
Old news is no news.
4- Rewarding also sends message to others about the
types of behaviors or performance that are “above and
beyond”.
5- Be specific about what you are rewarding
- Mary works a lot she is so helpful (Vague; Limited
Value)
- Mary had a very difficult client that wanted ______
and this is how Mary solved this issue___________.
What Mary did was ___________.

26. 6- Prior to Performance Reviews Have Employees Identify
What they Believe their Accomplishments Were During
That Review Period.
7- Recognition should be all around and at every level
(managers, supervisors, team leaders, employees).
8- Post customer surveys, letters from
customers/clients/vendors etc.
9- Only insecure managers take the credit for positive
outcomes. Focus the attention on those in your team.
They reflect your achievements (ability to manage
effectively).

27. 7: OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH
WHO GETS MOTIVATED BY FEELING
STAGNANT? THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR
GROWTH, EVEN WITHIN THE SAME POSITION
Tools:
1- Have employees identify what next steps they
wish to accomplish (learn new area; take on
more complex issues; improve upon system)

28. 2- Are there co-teaching/self-teaching opportunities?
- online training and resources
- employees working in teams present teaching
sessions on sporadic basis to each other
3- Create opportunities for supervisors and employees to
discuss with each other what they do.
4- Encourage problem solving levels that have employees
relying on each other, then taking up to next level if
required.

29. 8: INNOVATION
STAGNATION HAS ITS LIMITS- HOW DO YOU
GET MOTIVATED WHEN NOTHING CHANGES
EVERY WORKPLACE WILL BENEFIT FROM
EMPLOYEES THINKING HOW THINGS CAN BE
IMPROVED.
ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE MEANINGFUL AND
WORKABLE INNOVATION.

30. TOOLS:
1- Require that everyone who comes to speak to someone (at
any level) about a problem, provide a suggested solution(s)
to each problem raised
2- Actively solicit input on how to improve systems,
procedures, etc. at departmental or team meetings.
If a suggestion will not work, provide specific
information as to why it won’t
(just saying NO adds nothing positive)
Work with underlying issue to see how suggestions
may work with modification

31. 3- See how employees who are efficient and working well
do things – can you learn from them and incorporate
best practices from them across department/team?
4- Encourage managers/supervisors to master the art of
smart delegating
5- Provide information to employees on what is happening
in the industry, business etc.
6- When you spot a problem, open it up to a Challenge
Have folks submit entries on solutions etc.

32. 9: COMMON SENSE/GOOD SENSE
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOES NOT
USE INTERNAL RESOURCES TO CHART OUT HOW TO GET
THERE
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF COMMON SENSE

33. TOOLS
There is such a thing as a “factory defect”. Its hard to
“teach” common sense. So if anyone lacks it over
prolonged period of time it may mean they need to find
a job that does not require it

34. 10: CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVE TO
NEXT LEVEL
MOTIVATION IS AN ACTIVE ONGOING FORCE; IT
REQUIRES FORWARD MOVEMENT
YOU SNOOZE- YOU LOOSE

35. TOOLS:
1- Re-examine procedures, processes, policies,
expectations
- Do they make sense?
- Are the reasons they were implemented still relevant?
- Do they pass the smell test? (common sense?)
2- There may be some who are resistant to any
change; the solution is NOT to give up on change.
- Help them see the benefit of change and how to become
comfortable understanding that “change” does not mean
“instability”
- If you do not evolve you become extinct

36. 3- Openly discuss what is being considered for
change and why
-“Because I said so” or “because they said so”- is not a viable reason
anyone will stand behind.
- You are more likely to adopt change if it makes sense on some
level and you understand rationale. Try doing well, something you do
not understand.
4- If what was implemented does not work, don’t be
prideful; Tweak or Change it to What Works.

37. THANK YOU!