The art of management has been defined as getting ordinary people to do be extraordinarily productive.

According to my professor, famed management guru Peter F. Drucker, no single company has a monopoly on human talent; its fairly evenly distributed.

What distinguishes companies is how managers put to work the talent pool that they have. Its the same thing you hear about poker players.

The best ones know how to make the most of the hands theyre dealt.

What the best managers have known, and they dont teach this in MBA programs, I can say that with confidence, is that every worker has one thing, above all, that really gets him to bust his butt; some reward.

Ill never forget a conversation I had with a senior manager at a Fortune 500 company.

He asked, Gary do you know why our grand prize in every sales contest is an all expenses paid vacation to a tropical place, far, far away?

Because its pretty and warm there, Bob?

Nope. Because our top salesman, who wins every contest hands down has a miserable home life and this is the only way he can get out of town by himself, and get some rest and relaxation!!

Welcome to the real world, dear reader.

Thats a real manager, managing a real human being, in an all too real situation.

But he knows how to keep his top salesperson producing, and happy.

As a manager, I knew one of the best perks I could give to salespeople was a paid day off.

True, I lost their production for that day, but if they appended it to a Friday or a Monday, they got a mini-vacation out of it, and a chance to take their kids to Disneyland, and avoid the crowds.

Every individual on your crew has that one thing that they want, above all. Whether its cash, trips, paid days off, or savings bonds for their toddlers, its your job to discover what it is, and to put it to work.

Then, sit back and enjoy the productivity!