[April 19, 2015] Rewards for doing a good job at work come in many forms and are given when deserved in the best of organizations. Of course, no matter how good they may be, people make mistakes. In many workplaces where people are dominated by bosses, the only thing they look forward to is to get through the day without making an error. Their only reward is no punishment for those mistakes.
We know that to “err is human.” To deny it is to deny reality and to create a work environment where there is little or no tolerance for mistakes. Autocratic forms of leadership are common and frequently adopt a low tolerance for human error. This can cause low morale, frequent worker turnover, and low production rates. It also means that most workers are just cogs in a work machine that requires little creativity and no authority to get things done.
“Punishment may make us obey the orders we are given, but at best it will only teach an obedience to authority, not a self-control which enhances our self-respect.” – Bruno Bettelheim
Thus, a company that works hard to eliminate mistakes – it does take a significant effort – puts the focus so much on the endeavor of perfection that there is little time for anything else. As we say in the military, “mission accomplished.” What about the next task or mission? When workers are spending all their time complying with policies, procedures, and regulations … they cannot be working to achieve something great.
I will argue that instead of focusing such effort on eliminating errors, the organizational leadership should instead center their attempts on achieving excellence in all they do. Thus, achieving excellence will have the side benefit of also reducing mistakes. Achieving excellence thus becomes a belief system that is lived daily.
There are many books and professional articles written about attaining excellence in the workplace. Most are good. The key to obtaining excellence is not a crackdown on the small things, as many suggest, but to push authority down to the lower levels in the organization so that people have more control over what they do.
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