The Dark Side of Management: People are Selfish and Greedy

Remember why you came to work today? Was itAligning personal goals with professional objectives is
because you wanted to get started on making yourthe win-win of management today. Every employee
company the best and most highly respected in thein the company must clearly understand that the way
nation or the world? Probably not. You came to workthey make more money is for the company to make
today in order to make money to pay the bills andmore money. They must understand how going the
hope that there is a little left over to spend onextra mile will result in their personal gain. How will
yourself. You don't really care if the company makesthey be able to improve their lives by improving the
a profit, you really only care if YOU make a profit.service or products the company has to offer?
Will I have more income than expenses this week?Compensation and incentive plans that are too
Will I be able to take a vacation? Can I afford to gocomplicated or take too long from the time of
out to diner tonight rather than having to eat atservice to reward are not the answer. False hope
home in front of the television?and empty promises will do more to ruin morale than
Don't be ashamed. Selfishness and greed are twoany other aspect of management. Reward programs
very powerful emotions that if harnessed properlymust be easy to understand, directly tied to
can be both self-serving and profitable for anymeasurable outcomes, and frequent in nature. When
business. The secret is to find a way to create anyou start to see small increases in your pay over a
environment where these emotions can and willshort period of time it will motivate you and others
serve two masters. How can that be done?to keep up the good work.