Radio Guest: Paul Herr, author of Primal Management

Paul Herr is my guest Friday, December 2, 2009 at 9:30 AM, Central.

Paul will talk about the science of engaged employees and specific steps to measure and improve it your organization. Paul offers a remarkably simple solution to engaging employees--align the workplace with human nature and thereby hit the high-productivity sweet-spot inherent within our psychological makeup.

In his book, Primal Management, Paul explains the core of our human nature consists of five biologic appetites for things like food, oxygen and rest, and five social appetites that reward human beings with pleasure when we innovate, master skills, achieve group goals, work as part of a tightly bonded team, and protect ourselves from physical and psychological harm. Together, these ten systems, taken as a group, constitute the motivational engine that lies at the core of human nature. When this system becomes unplugged due to injury or disease, human beings either become entirely inert or malfunction in various ways. Herr points to the specific brain areas involved in regulating motivation and the specific neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and hormones involved in the process.

That sounds a little dry.

Here's his purpose: My book gives employee-focused managers the intellectual firepower they will need to defend themselves from the forces of bureaucratic, impersonal, hyperrational management.

Herr proves, using the latest groundbreaking research in neuroeconomics and neurobiology, that pleasure (intrinsic reward) lies at the core of economic decision making, the core of employee engagement, the core of customer satisfaction, and the core of organizational excellence.

Intrinsic means...affordable. It means being recognized for your accomplishments and talents by your peers and management, having the tools to achieve your goals, recognizing that a path for personal and professional growth is clearly outlined, having goals and rewards aligned personally for the employee as well as professionally for the employee and their company, and the it means having the ability to control their destiny.

His book and practice, Primal Management, strikes a balance between theory and practice. On the practice side, it provides a survey for measuring motivational horsepower and tips for getting the horsepower to go up.

Join us with one of these two listening options:

LIVE:

1). streaming on-demand listening at this link

2). Call-in during the live show at 646-915-9212

LATER:

1). streaming on-demand listening at this link

Paul was a guest on my show previously. You can listen here.

Paul's manifesto is here.