By Charles Moster
I was recently asked to make a presentation to the Austin Chamber of Commerce on the topic of “Leadership & Motivation”.  As a business owner and third generation entrepreneur for over 12 years I felt qualified to offer up my observations given the intensity of my experiences which could be best measured in “dog years”.

That’s right.  I felt and looked the  equivalent of 60 dog years of business upturns, downturns, great choices, horrific choices, and random market forces.  So other than longevity, what gems could I offer my business compatriots?  Actually, I have some novel suggestions that you won’t find at the graduate MBA programs or self help books galore.  Here is a brief snapshot for those who are searching for the best tools to inspire leadership and motivation.

1.   Shoot for the right of the bell curve- I sometimes joke that God created the universe and the bell curve.  Actually, I believe that to be a truism, particularly when it comes to screening employees and sadly, not everyone is situated on the right side of the bell curve.  That may be non-PC to openly state, but let’s face it, intelligence let alone basic competence exists on a continuum and not everyone has the same level of skill and awareness.  If you are seeking to staff an organization populated with highly intelligent and creative individuals, shoot for the far right of the bell curve.  Any poker player can tell you that even with a great bluff it helps to have the best hand available.  Now, it is beyond the purview of this article to suggest bell curve measurement techniques but I will say that the best educated applicant is not always the smartest, in fact, sometimes there is an inverse correlation!  Ask lots of questions when interviewing, listen intensely, and follow your gut immediately.

2.    Identify & Eliminate Employee Pathogens- Alright, this sounds controversial but it is also the truth.  I believe that there is a disease or pathology of the workforce and your ability to spot and diagnose “employee pathology” is a fundamental key to survival, let alone success.  Back to the grand design of the universe, it does appear that most things come in patterns of three from the basic food groups to the three branches of life on earth.  So too are the three employee pathologies which I refer to as (1) “Complanius Pain in the Tushest”, (2) Leachus Employius, and (3) Toxius Employius.

The first strain is very typical in the workforce and more annoying than deadly.  This employee never sees the silver lining in anything and is constantly critical of your business and initiatives.  Now, I am the first to maintain that constructive criticism is critical to the success of a business owner.  You want to avoid the “Emperor’s New Clothes” syndrome of only having “yes-people” around.  However, the use of frequent negatives without concomitant positive suggestions is particularly enervating to your organization and frankly, a pain in the tush; thus the reference to the technical Latin expression “Complanius Pain in the Tushest”.

Ascending the scale of employee toxicity, the “Leachus Employius” is next.  This employee is particularly dangerous because he/she is difficult to spot as they seem to fit perfectly in your organization, seemingly have a good attitude, and lull you into a state of complacence.  This employee always smiles and has positive things to say notwithstanding incompetence, inefficiency, and serious misgiving about you and your organization.  Other than that, they’re a great employee to have around.  Somewhat like the dinosaurs, by the time you realize you have a problem, you’re in the midst of an “extinction event”!

And finally my favorite of them all- “Toxius Employius”.  This employee is more rare but very dangerous and often times fatal.  This member of your business wants nothing other than to destroy your organization and reputation.  Seriously, watch out for this employee.  Having advised hundreds of clients over the many years, certain employees (alas, people) have a slight tear in their halo.  They will be jealous of your success, salary, or sports car.  Their infectious characteristics are varied but include, sabotage, converting (OK, “stealing” your clients), contaminating your “good employees”, i.e., the “Ick Syndrome”, and ultimately leaving your company to compete against you or join your adversary.  Sadly, just about every client I have represented has run into “Toxius Employius”.

3.    Be Passionate & True- Who would consider passion and truth to be the hallmark of leadership and motivation?  I do and it is the cornerstone of success.  Years of business experience, survival, and success will almost always confirm that if you are passionate about your business and the service you are performing, you will invariably be successful.  Those clients over the years who have made the most money have smiled and whistled their way to success.  They love what they do even when it’s hard which business often is.  They are also honest with themselves and their employees.  If cash flow is tight, they are not afraid to share that information when necessary.  Truth also means holding yourself and employees accountable for their triumphs and mistakes.

Pretty simple, don’t you think.  Well, think again.  If it was as easy as it seems, we’d all be doing it and…. well, you wouldn’t need lawyers like me.

Right?

www.mosterwynne.com
(512) 320-0601