Relational Poverty.

There is no doubt in my mind, and I think most people reading this could agree, that our current world is in a very transactional state. Transactional in the sense that we will only do something for something else in return. "Yes I'll work, but what's in it for me?" Meanwhile, people in the workplace are suffering from relational poverty. They have found a transaction that provides their basic necessities and many things they want, yet going to work still ruins their day.

People love to talk about, "how things used to be" and while sometimes it is an inability to accept change, this statement couldn't be truer when it comes to the way we live out our work lives. In organizational psychology we can refer the terms transactional and relational to an individuals relationship to their work. People who view work as transactional are constantly asking the question, "What's in it for me?" I think of it as the, "Yes I'll do more, but I'm going to need more first." These people typically show up either right on time or just a couple minutes late, do what they need to do to keep the transaction occurring (i.e. keep the paycheck coming) and then when the day is over clock out either a couple minutes early or right on time. A relational work view is the one that business leaders look for. These people are willing to come in early, do more than their share, do whatever needs done, and will stay late if need be. In today's society, it begs the question, "How do I find people with a relational work view?"

Well, the bad news is you can't always find them, but the good news is you can certainly coach transactional people to have a more relational outlook. Because this is a scale, it's not transactional or relational, it's typically more one than the other. Coaching people with a transactional outlook of work is actually much more simple than it may seem. You really just have to make it relational for them. To be clear, that doesn't mean making them come in early or stay late or do things they don't want to do. That'll just piss them off. What it does mean though, is that you invite them into a relational work setting, and in order to be relational, you have to be willing to be part of the relationship. It's why servant leadership works.

Here is one of my favorite examples that I have found to be extremely effective in a position of leadership; If you're needing people to work overtime, you might have to work it with them. It's relational that way. Instead of saying, "Do you want some extra hours tomorrow?" (that's extremely transactional), ask them this, "Do you mind coming in early to help me ___?" (Now it's relational between both you and the person, as well as the person and their work.)

While this is just one example, it's a great place to start. If you've given your team every incentive under the sun and they still don't seem satisfied, they are likely suffering from relational poverty. The transaction makes them need to come back to their job, but relationships make them want to; people often feel a need for return on something they have to do, but rarely on things they want to do. Solution: make them want to come to work. It starts with relationship.