webproductive

When you know a major change is coming – how motivated do you feel?  Sometimes you’ll be energised and your activities will be vigorous and energetic. Other times you might be lethargic, delayed and inactive. When your organisation is implementing a new web system – what do these two differing mind-sets tell us about the way the project is going?

Climb that mountain and be on top of the world

The Energy bunch

If you’ve got a bunch of people who are very productive in the run-up to change, these guys might be good for the project – They’re either so enthused that change is coming, or they’re determined to prove that the status quo works well for them. If the former – be careful – the inevitable downturn in productivity and efficiency once a new web system is implemented, both for them having to learn a new technology and for the organisation, could mean they quickly become disillusioned once the new system is active.

If someone is determined through hard work to show you that the current system works very well for them, then meet them head-on: understand how much effort they’re making, and show them ways the new system can work for them.

The Lethargy Bunch

Your lethargic and unmotivated colleagues probably suffer from either of two afflictions. They’ve realised that the new system is on its way, and so cannot be motivated to work hard before it comes – “what’s the point doing that now and taking 2 days, when I can do it online next month much quicker?” These people are an important group to focus your attention on – lethargy today combined with enthusiasm for (some distant) tomorrow would seem to point to deeper problems than simply frustration at your new web system – Why are they putting work off?

Then there’s the bunch of people you’re expecting- those who don’t want the new system, aren’t motivated now, and don’t show any signs of being motivated in the future.  For these people, communicate with them -find out why they’re so disconnected from how the organisation wants them to be? This group may well be the hardest to change to a positive mind-set, but in some ways the most fascinating – as in someone’s personal life – getting to the heart of productivity problems can reveal some interesting truths.

A quick conclusion about the lethargy bunch – a team member who’s unmotivated towards a new web system is more than likely unmotivated for a plethora of reasons and probably more endemic than the web system that’s about to become reality.

So how do you find out who’s who and map these people into some kind of action plan? The secret is to do some upfront analysis, interviewing and observations – identify the current levels of motivation and figure out where you’re going to take these people.