Leading with Heart:
Motivating and Retaining Staff
Audrey Rowland, MS MBA
www.greenspacetx.com

Reflection
• Do I need encouragement to perform at my best?
• When you receive encouragement, does it help you perform at a higher level?

Recognition
• 40% of North American workers say they never receive recognition for a job well
done
• 50% of managers say they give recognition for high performance
• Why?

A Manager’s Success
• (According to The Center for Creative Leadership)
Relationships with subordinates
Warmth and fondness toward others
Subordinates two levels down reported feeling satisfied overall with
co-workers, leaders, organizational planning, ethics and quality

Small Group Discussion
• What do you think are the top 3 things that employees want from their jobs?
• What are the top 3 things you want from your job?

1. Good wages
2. Job Security
3. Promotion and growth opportunities
4. Good working conditions
5. Interesting work
6. Personal loyalty to workers
7. Tactful discipline
8. Full appreciation for work done
9. Sympathetic understanding of personal problems
10. Feeling “in” on things
1. Full appreciation for work done
2. Feeling “in” on things
3. Sympathetic understanding of personal problems
4. Job security
5. Good wages
6. Interesting work
7. Promotion and growth opportunities
8. Personal loyalty to workers
9. Good working conditions
10. Tactful discipline
• What they want…
• What we think they want…

Reflection
I make certain we set a standard that
motivates us to do better in the future than
we are doing now.
I express high expectations about what
people are capable of accomplishing.
I pay more attention to the positive things
people do than to the negative.
I clearly communicate my personal values
and professional standards to everyone on
the team.
I let people know I have confidence in their
abilities.
I spend a good deal of time listening to the
needs and interests of other people.
I express a positive and optimistic outlook
even when times are tough.

Essentials of Encouragement
Set clear standards
Expect the best
Pay attention
Personalize recognition
Tell the story
Celebrate together
Set the example

Set Clear Standards
• Establish and share values
• Set SMART goals
• Provide ongoing, frequent feedback
What values and principles do you most cherish?
How clear and specific are the goals of those you’re leading – for you and them?
How are you getting feedback on how you are doing as a leader?
How are others getting feedback on their performance?

Expect the Best
Pygmalion effect
• High expectations lead to high performance
• Acquired vs. stable skill sets
• Self-esteem as a productivity indicator
How would you honestly rate your expectations of those you lead? High? Moderate? Low?
Think about some of the lower performers among those you lead. How might your expectations be influencing their
performance?
Think about your high performers. How might your expectations be influencing their performance?
What is your opinion about whether the people you lead can learn the skills required to do their jobs? Can they
acquire them, or are they mostly innate?

Pay Attention
• Get out and about
• Search for the positive
• Put others first
• Hang out
• Open up
How often are you out there caring by wandering around?
Would you say you more often notice positive or negative things?
To what extent does your behavior say, “I’m here looking for people doing
things right and doing the right things?”

Personalize Recognition
• Honored and not diminished
• Know what they like
• Consider culture and generational factors
• Think about it and plan ahead
What do you know about each of your employees?
How do you find out what honors others?
What have you done to ‘personalize’ recognition?

Tell the Story
• Stories vs. statistics
• Stories teach, mobilize and motivate
• Email, voicemail, Facebook, newsletters, website, postings, etc.
How effective a storyteller would you say you are?
To what extent is storytelling a tradition in your organization?
When you make a presentation, do you tend to rely more on the bullet-
point style or the narrative style?

Celebrate Together
• Create a culture of celebration
• Bragging board – personal and professional
• We want to involve others - look around
• Intimacy heals, loneliness hurts
• Celebrations build community and reinforce values
How frequently do you celebrate accomplishments? It that often enough?
How much socializing is going on in your center? Do people have enough opportunity
to get to know each other?
When you celebrate, are you clear about the values that you are cheering?
Do people in your organization feel that celebrations are a waste of time?

Set the Example
• Build credibility
• Do what you said you would do
• Start the day with encouragement
Are you smiling?
Name one thing that you’ve done in the last week to encourage heart at
work?
How many special ways can you demonstrate your appreciation of others in
your workplace?
Who is the most credible person in your workplace? What do they do that
brings them credibility?

Next Steps…
Questions
Best Practices
Actions Plan

References
Anderson, S. (2010). Creating a positive work environment. Exchange May/June, 14-16
Horowitz, F., Heng, C.T. & Quazi, H.A. (2003). Finders, keepers? Attracting, motivating and retaining knowledge
workers. Human Resource Management Journal 13(4), 23-44.
Kouzes, J.M. & Posner B.Z. (2003). Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing
Others. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Rosenow, N. (2012). All the teachers are friends here: The case for strong relationships among adults who work
with young children. Exchange Jan/Feb, 42-44.