WIIFM For Better Leadership Results

In order to get the most from your employees,exercises in our Leadership Development program
and from your staff you need to learn andis to develop a "dream inventory". It's a list of
communicate WIIFM. (What's In It For Me). Inanything and everything you want to achieve or
order for employees to embrace organizationalown or whatever your dreams are. We tell the
goals they must view them as their own. To doparticipants to stop at fifty.
that they must clearly understand how meetingI have seen very few got even ten.
the goals of the organization is tied to achievingWe are programmed to take care of needs and
their personal goals.forget about most wants. If you can understand
It is much more difficult to separate personal andyour employees wants and tie the achievement
professional lives than it was even twenty yearsinto attainment of organizational goals, you have a
ago. Money alone is not the primary motivator butlong term recipe for leadership results.
a short-term benefit quickly absorbed andWIIFM starts with your personal goals and ties
forgotten. With the commonality of the two jobinto your professional goals why should it be
household, work is a huge part of personaldifferent with your employees?
conversation and thought.Leaders need to encourage goal setting on a
Leaders who take the time and make the effortpersonal and well as professional level. Most people
to understand employee wants and needs, anddon't have a plan for their lives, they just allow life
helps the employee set personal goals thatto happen. They give more thought and planning
complement organizational goals will find betterto a two-week vacation than they do for the
leadership results very achievable.most important journey of all the journey through
Goal setting is not a common practice amonglife. If you can help your direct reports understand
most of us. It starts by defining what you wantthis and set goals, then have them take it down
in clear and crisp terms. Most of us have greatthroughout the organization, how effective do you
difficulty in understanding or accepting what wethink that might be?
want. Needs are easier to define, I need $500Explaining your organizational goals so all
more per month, I need a new car. Once theunderstand and giving everyone the opportunity
need is met the problem goes away and alongto buy-in and develop personal goals that they
with it the motivation.can achieve through attainment of your goals is a
Wants are very difficult to define. If you haven'twin-win for everyone.
tried it you may be surprised. One of the