The Best Lessons I have Uncovered from Dilbert regarding Employee Motivation

I am a huge admirer of Scott Adams' Dilbert - an American comics which tackles the absurdities of being employed in the corporate world. Adams' satirical writings have affected the way in which I look at my professional career and my officemates. Above all, it really is among the motivating factors to my pursuit towards being a full-time small business owner.

One of my favorites is his book The Dilbert Principle and every page reminds me of someone I've worked with in my 9 years of professional career.

This hub contains invaluable lessons I've learned about employee motivation and how companies keep doing things wrong. Just a reminder - sense of humor is required and please do not take these things very seriously. Without much fuss, here are some really funny insights from this book.

• Cubicles are subtle reminder of our marginal worth in the organization. It is also an annoying reminder that all of us are prisoners of this so-called corporate jungle.
• Hoteling, a method of assigning seats on a first-come first-served basis, is a strong assurance that we're all dispensable and it's a clever way to prevent employees from making their cubicles their second home. Most importantly, it eliminates the rampant display of cheesy photos and cheap souvenirs.
• Uniforms or office clothes carry some very deep meanings. For instance, necktie stands for leash, high heels for masochism, and suit jackets for penguin for this bird is incapable of flying just like lower-level employees.
• We are as important as our office furniture. Beautiful office furniture is restricted to big bosses which means that you must be happy with your very small workspace and an office chair with no armrest. In any case, we are compensated to deliver good results and not really to relax our arms.
• Employee recognition programs are meant exclusively for lower-level staff in the company simply to give us hope. Have you ever heard of a recognition program for best VPs in the company?
• The best way to keep employee very productive is to keep them happy but with low self-esteem. A happy employee is very productive. Productivity leads to unreasonable requests for salary increase or special bonus package. To balance the office setting and stop this kind of disorder from transpiring, it is the manager's principal obligation to maintain employees' egos as low as it can be.

Indeed, these insights tend to be truly bizarre there is however truth to all of them. It's no surprise that Human resources consultants are making a killing with team building sessions as well as other workshops or activities that will inspire staff members, especially the older and uncooperative ones.

If there's any advice I can share with any manager or aspiring leaders is that motivation starts within you. Enthusiasm is contagious and if you display such passion and commitment then I guarantee that it will move others to follow your path. Whatever motivates you it's highly probable that it will also motivate others. It's called leadership by example.

Of course, not everybody will share your enthusiasm and there will always be that someone who will try to block your path towards your quest to improve motivation and productivity. Simply do your very best and the majority will certainly follow.