What is the most important aspect of a manager’s job? What should good managers do to keep employees engaged?

F：Professor Bevan，how important is motivation for a manager?
M：Oh，motivation is extremely important．I would say it’s the most important aspect of a manager’s
job．A manager’s job is to get the job done，whatever that job might be．So a manager has to motivate the workers as a team and also on an individual basis．Without motivation，the job just won’t get done．
F：So how do managers go about doing this? It doesn’t sound very easy．
M：No，it is a complicated issue．But managers have special tools．They are trained to use them to boost motivation and increase production to a maximum．
F：Oh，tools?
M：Yes，tools like praise，approval and recognition．And…yes，and there is trust，and expectation．All important for workers．
F：And money? How about money?
M：Yes，money is a factor but you might be surprised to learn that it comes out last on the list of these tools that we are talking about．The Saratoga Institute repots that 88% of employees voluntarily leave their jobs for other reasons，such as person-job mismatch，insufficient coaching and feedback,poor career-advancement prospects，work-life imbalance，distrust toward senior leader ship．and…and also low confidence in leadership．  
F：Well，there are so many factors．
M：Yes．Still，many managers refuse to acknowledge these factors，preferring to see more money as the prime motivator．  
F：So，what comes before money?What sorts of things are more important for workers?
M：Well，all of the things that I have already mentioned，and then，let me see…job enrichment and good communication between the workers and the bosses．You know，good managers should know  how to provide the everyday coaching，feedback，and recognition that keep employees engaged．  
F：And have you got any examples of real life situations to back up your cla ms?
M：Well，one good example is the firm Western Electric．When managers started taking an interest in their workers there was a huge increase in production．They started to talk to the workers and en couraged them to get involved in decision-making．Workers began to feel that their contributions were  important．And it paid off．  
F：Productivity increased?
M：Yes，hugely．The Swedish company Kochums is another example．The company was on the verge of collapse when managers decided to try a change in motivation practice．  
F：What did they do?
M：Well，basically it was a change in attitude towards their workers．Managers decided to stop giving orders and to try persuading them instead．  
F：And it worked?
M：Absolutely．In just ten years they managed to turn a 15 million dollar loss into a 100 million dollarprofit．  
F：So，let’s get this straight．Are you saying that workers are not interested in earning more money?
M：I’m saying they’re not JUST interested in money．It is important of course．We need to enjoy a certain standard of living．But，as I mentioned before，there are other things that are even more important； such as praise，approval，recognition，trust and expectation，job enrichment and good communi cation．  
F：Ok，according to your research，how does a great manager motivate workers on an individual basis?
M：Each person’s talent is unique．Great managers recognize that each person is motivated differently．They try to help each person become more of what one already is．  
F：Could you elaborate on this point a bit further?
M：Sure．You know，great managers believe that each individual is uniquely talented，expressing themselves through unique goals，unique capabilities，and unique accomplishments．That is why great  managers do not help people fix their weaknesses．Instead，they focus on their strengths…