Management Success - Do Soft Skills Work

A few weeks ago I was asked to give a talkout quite a few years later than Fred in the early
about wether management success was about1900's. Elton was interested in employee
soft skills or process. Though intuitively I knewmotivation and commitment and importantly for
the answer. The audience was rather high browus as sales managers, how it all actually worked
so I thought I better do some research and gettogether. So Elton came up with his Human
the facts.Relationship theory.
I was reflecting on one section of research aboutHis best known work was the Hawthorne Study
taking action. Elton Mayo and Fredrick Taylor arein the Western Electrical Company in the USA,
two management gurus. Ever heard of them?and the development of the "human relations"
Perhaps not, though they were amazing with theirapproach to management.
insights at the time.In the Western Electrical Company study, Elton
I thought you might be interested in what theseMayo observed that worker productivity
guys are famous for and how far we havedepended less on lighting conditions in the work
actually come, or have we? Oh and for those ofarea than on the workers perception that
us that like facts and data. It gives some realmanagement were interested in them.
evidence that the softer side of managementElton proposed that higher productivity could be
really does have a major place.gained by good communication and emotional
On to the story. Well Fred Taylor died nearlyconnection between workers and management.
hundred years ago. 1917 to be exact.This was a quite a change from Fred Taylor's
Never the less his theories at the time where anwork, where management's role was to meet
absolute breakthrough. He was said to be theorganisational goals.
grandfather of scientific management.Time and motion studies and piecework pay
He was actually an American inventor andwould increase productivity to a point, however
engineer. He enabled industry, at the time tofurther increases could only be gained by meeting
become more prosperous and efficient. Histhe individual worker's needs.
management theory was based on his extensiveSatisfaction comes from recognition and security.
research that concluded:Elton Mayo believed that work satisfaction was
1. Increasing specialisation and division of labour willbased on recognition, security, and being part of a
make a process more efficient.team, over and above monetary rewards.
2. Systematically analyze the relationship betweenHe raised awareness of the need for
the worker and task and redesign processes tomanagement to be more involved with workers
ensure maximum efficiency e.g. use a biggerat an individual emotional level. This change in
shovel so more grain can be lifted with eachthinking gave birth to the "human relations"
actionapproach to management.
3. Have written procedures for each task andWhilst at an intellectual level we might think we
ensure they are followed by supervision andknow this? Implementation and, knowing how to
qualitycontrol.create these emotional connections is another
4. Get maximum prosperity for employer andmatter.
employee alike by linking pay and other rewardsSo often connections between individuals and
directly to work output.sales managers happens, at best sporadically. In
5. Select workers with the right skills and abilitiesour experience, as consultants this is where we
for the specific task and thoroughly train them toare often brought in to "fix" the problem.
follow the procedures.So it is interesting that these "ideas" and "best
6. Management and workers equally responsiblepractise concepts" where brought to our attention
for achievement of goals.over 100 years ago. Yet we are still struggling to
Interesting don't you think. I know a number ofget it right with our sales teams.
us moan and groan when it comes to processSo what can you take away from this? Having a
and oh how useful it is when you are managinghigh performing team is about both scientific
sales people. So tell me which of the above domanagement and human relations.
you do with your team?Human beings are interesting creatures. We
Never mind lets move on to a much morefunction best with both structure and attention.
enlightened soul. Elton Mayo came along a fewThe best sales managers have a knack of
years later.combining both so well. It's a skill to learn as soon
He was an Aussie. Mayo's key work was carriedas possible.