The world famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle Washington is a model in inspirational management employing various motivational techniques in the operations of the business. Owner John Yokoyama lifted the business from near failure to a successful business by applying the belief that you can make a difference for every human you come into contact with, if only for that moment. He has evolved his management style from “tyrant boss” to a leader that gives the power away (Luchtman, K., 2003). Motivational elements displayed in the managing of the fish market begin with the most important element of trust. Yokoyama had to learn to trust his employees to be able to do their jobs without his presence looming over them and in turn his employees have to be able to trust him as an employer that they would be allowed to take ownership of their jobs. He employs the power of personal responsibility in his market, which says every situation that occurs in the employee’s life his responsibility in the way he reacts to it. He emphasizes the need to avoid becoming a victim of circumstance by addressing situations as they occur. As a manager he addresses the needs of each employee based on where they were at or what has happened in their life and not based on a uniform code of behavior or methodology. He engages each employee as a human being, not a number and makes a conscious effort to make a difference in his employee’s lives. Yokoyama challenges his employees to create possibilities for the future and step into the unknown. He asks the question of each employee “what is the next task you would like to take on?” then pairs the employee with another that has mastered that task (Luchtman, K., 2003). This form of coaching empowers employees to learn skills and create unlimited results, rather than limit their creativity by just focusing on behaviors to correct. When positions become available on the team candidates are chosen based on their ability to make a commitment to the purpose of the team. The philosophy is that if the purpose does not touch ones heart then he cannot commit to that purpose. Yokoyama leads his organization by allowing his employees to take ownership of their jobs and perform them the way they do best. Allowing employees to perform their jobs using their own creativity and resourcefulness empowers the employee and is once again cycling back to trust issues. An employee that feels he has the trust and admiration of his employer is far more motivated to continue successfully performing his duties and using his creativity to improve those processes and make his job more efficient.
Job satisfaction is dependent on managers desire to meet individual needs of employees and the degree to which employees feel valued within their organization (Yurtseven & Halici, 2012). Yokoyama challenges his employees to take it to the next level, learning all they can about the fish market, and passing on their knowledge to other members of their team. The effectiveness or ineffectiveness of his tactics can be witnessed in the interactions of employees with each other and with their customers; however, one element lacking in this video is employee feedback. In order for a system to be considered effective there needs to be some form of evaluation, and the best candidates for that evaluation process is the employees themselves. Yokoyama’s success or failure as a motivating employer can only be determined by interviewing the employees in his company and realizing their feedback could potentially improve the effectiveness of the motivational elements Yokoyama utilizes.
My business is the daily care and education of children ages newborn to five years old and motivation is often very tricky to accomplish. One of the most effective forms of motivation is positive reinforcements often in the form of praise. Individuals respond to praise, especially if it is immediate and nurturing (Bateman & Snell, 2013). There is a connection to the leader for the moment and knowledge that the individual has done something noteworthy by accomplishing a task or performing above the expected level. Negative reinforcement also works in certain circumstances for the children. If they are in a timeout and behaving appropriately they are allowed to return to activities and their restrictions are lifted. In this age group there are not many motivating elements beyond reinforcements, but as the children mature other forms can be put into use.
.References
Bateman, T.S., & Snell, S.A. (2013). Management: Leading and collaborating in a competitive world (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Irwin.
Yurtseven, G., & Halici, A. (2012). Importance of the motivational factors affecting employees satisfaction. International Business Research. 5(1), 72-79. doi:10.5539/ibr.v5n1p72
Luchtman, K. (Producer/Director) MacLean, B. M. (Executive Producer). (2003). Management by inspiration. [Video] Valparaiso, IN: World Class http://mediacentral.indwes.edu/#entry_id=0_nz4ig1w1