When monthly sales contests or "bonus" money is all that motivates your work force, you are setting yourself up for some disappointments. If the employee is used to being awarded a specified sum for a certain level or performance there is a point that is reached where the returns on your investment are diminished. Increasing the amount of the financial prize does not insure higher performance or quality.

Motivation is like hot fudge over an ice cream sundae. Anyone can put three scoops of ice cream in a tall, fancy glass — nothing eventful there. But, bring the hot fudge to just the right temperature, stir it lovingly, then pour the special sauce over the top and watch what happens. Motivation, just like the hot fudge, flows down from the top and covers everything in its path. You are the manager, you are the motivator. The hot fudge blends in with the creamy delight and everything takes on a whole new color and texture. No one is to be left out. Everyone in your organization must feel that they are part of a team, all sharing a common goal and given credit for their contributions. Dispatchers, bookkeepers, stockroom personnel and other staff are all part of the mix.

So, what motivates super-techs? Sometimes it's only a pat on the back for a job well done. Many different things motivate people. It's your job to find out what motivates your crew. One thing is for sure — super-techs absolutely crave recognition. They work hard to get to the top of their game and when they get there they want to be acknowledged as "king of the hill." When others see that recognition, they will want it to.

In my shop I used inspection cameras as a motivational tool. We were a "dig" shop. To sell digs consistently, techs needed cameras and locators on their trucks at all times. The problem was we had 50 trucks and only 25 cameras. One would carry a camera so long as his sales were in the top 25 each month. If you were 26th, you would lose your camera for the next month, it would go to those who qualified the prior month. Now, you had to qualify for a camera all over again by being in the top 25 again, and you had to do it without the benefit of a camera. Finishing the month in the top 25 meant you had a camera and locator on your truck for the next month. Nobody wanted to lose their cameras. They would compete tooth-and-nail to keep them. In my shop, cameras and locators were precious. They were a symbol of accomplishment.

Step 4: The Family Factor