| A problem with employee motivation | | | | some time for my next career move but I have some |
| I was asked to carry out some coaching in a public | | | | friends in Jamaica I can stay with for a few months. |
| sector organisation. I was asked to work with Kofi, an | | | | Now I have more information upon which to make my |
| amazing character who was bright, intelligent and | | | | next choice - maybe I will choose better this time." This |
| likeable. The issue was that his boss, Graham, felt that | | | | was not the result that Graham expected, but as I had |
| he took too long to complete his tasks. When the | | | | said to Graham at the start of the coaching I could not |
| tasks were completed they were often incomplete | | | | predict the outcome. This was still a result for the |
| and incorrect, this would then mean that someone else | | | | organisation as they could now start recruiting for the |
| who have to spend more time on the task in order to | | | | vacant role. Providing Kofi with coaching also worked |
| bring the output up to an appropriate level of quality. | | | | out well because otherwise there might have been a |
| Graham asked me to work with Kofi on a | | | | lengthy process to follow in order to replace him. The |
| performance coaching contract to improve the quality | | | | end result was a win-win for all. |
| and timeliness of his outputs. | | | | Kofi contacted me a few months later to let me know |
| The real reason for demotivation | | | | that he was OK and was using his skills to set up |
| After two sessions with Kofi where we discussed the | | | | alternative energy sources in his own country of |
| reasons for coaching and the goals of the programme | | | | Nigeria, while working as a voluntary teacher in his |
| it became apparent that Kofi was a experiencing a | | | | community. Here he was able to utilise all of his skills |
| values conflict. Kofi had quite an entrepreneurial aspect | | | | and live his values to the full. |
| to his personality that was not being lived out by | | | | A personal reflection |
| working in a public sector organisation. Kofi found the | | | | I could relate to Kofi and the values conflicts that he |
| organisation and its people to be highly bureaucratic | | | | was experiencing. I had spent many years as a |
| and process driven. Kofi's working behaviour favoured | | | | software engineer, thinking I had no choice other than |
| a role where he could be an abstract and global | | | | the identical career path that was offered to me by |
| thinker rather than a being a deep and detailed one. | | | | many organisations. A career with hundreds, maybe |
| This had the overall effect of reducing his energy | | | | thousands, of people responsible to me was not |
| available for the tasks to be completed. I asked Kofi if | | | | something I relished. As I began to discover more |
| he would like to carry out a values elicitation exercise | | | | about myself I knew that I found more fulfillment |
| as I felt that Kofi was out of touch with what his | | | | working with people to help them achieve their goals. I |
| values were. At the end of the second session we | | | | often wonder how many people are in their jobs |
| discussed the results which were quite a shock to him. | | | | settling for an existence that deprives them of the |
| At the start of our third session I was surprised by | | | | beautiful feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction on the |
| what Kofi told me. "I am leaving" he said "you have | | | | job. Taking a simple values exercise like the one |
| helped me to realise that this job is not for me. I have | | | | provided here can help people to identify where there |
| really tried but it is a struggle for me to work the way | | | | are values conflicts in their lives, hopefully they can go |
| they want me to. I have asked for different work but | | | | onto eliminate these conflicts and provide more energy |
| there is nothing available." I was concerned for Kofi as | | | | and motivation for the things that are most important |
| he seemed to be reacting very quickly so I enquired | | | | to them. |
| about what he would do next. "I am going to take | | | | |