Teresa Amibile and Steven Kramer reveal the secret behind genuinely productive people in the progress principle. In this book, the progress loop plays a very important role. Higher performance in terms of creativity, productivity, engagement, and collegiality is associated with a positive inner-work life. This, in turn, contributes to the advancement of worthwhile work. You nowsee your day as a positive experience, which improves your inner-work life, reinforcing the loop from the beginning.
Inner-work life is the first block in the Progress loop. This word, according to Amabile and Kramer, refers to how you as a person experience your work life. When we say inner, we're referring to feelings that aren't necessarily obvious to the outside world. Work life refers to not only an emotion about a single task, but also to your whole experiences in the workplace. Inner-work life is divided into three categories. Emotions experienced at work, your outlook on regular office life, and the desire to complete a given task are all factors to consider. When all three of these factors improve, the four aspects of performance (creativity, productivity, engagement, and collegiality) improve as well.
The authors describe seven catalysts that support work and four nourishers, or strategies for taking care of the human side of work. All of these elements have a favorable impact on emotions, perception, and intrinsic motivation.
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Clear goals are necessary so that the task's aim is known from the outset
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Autonomy is crucial in determining how much room an individual or a team has to do the work
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The amount of resources available
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The deadline for completing the assignment
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When the team is stuck, help from colleagues or the management
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Encouraging individual and group reflection and development
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It is critical that ideas and knowledge move freely inside the business in order to improve the overall quality of work
Respect, encouragement, empathy, and affiliation are the four human factors that can help improve inner-work life. You can show respect by praising good work and following up on good ideas generated by the team. Encouragement is given with both enthusiasm and faith in the team's ability to resolve problems. Empathy is necessary to demonstrate that it is acceptable to express emotions at work.
The perception of the individual executing the job has a lot to do with whether an activity is important. You can impact that perception as a manager by performing the following:
● Put your team's suggestions into action- By listening to your staff and acting on their suggestions, you demonstrate that you value their expertise, which encourages them to appreciate their own contributions.
● As much as feasible, delegate ownership to the team- When people are held accountable for their activities, they perceive the action to be more important. They will, of course, require the previously mentioned resources and time to complete the task.
● Avoid doing work that isn't meaningful- As a manager, it is critical to discuss the work that your team has completed and will be used in the future, which is linked to defined goals. Working on a concept that will never see the light of day is the most demotivating thing you can do.
● Make the job difficult- The knowledge and expertise of the person executing the job also has a role in whether the job is meaningful. When someone is working at a lower level than they are capable of, the task feels as insignificant as when they are challenged to do the same work.
The authors advise using leader standard work to analyze the aforementioned elements. To improve as a manager, you should consider whether you have had a beneficial impact on your team members' inner working lives on a daily basis. A checklist can assist you in remembering to do so.
You can encourage and challenge them in person, as well as employ the catalysts and nourishers. Checking in on your team during contact times is not a good idea. In the workplace, checking up on people has the opposite impact. To be clear, the purpose is to check in with people rather than to keep tabs on them.