HOW TO DEMOTIVATE STAFF: A BRIEF GUIDE

Abstract

Demotivation of staff, though well developed in most places, is still capable of improvement. Rigid grading structures and hierarchies can help. More direct techniques include ignoring staff, forgetting they belong to the library or who they are, brushing aside suggestions, claiming credit for their ideas, distancing yourself from disasters, showing no interest in staff as people, criticizing but never praising (preferably in front of others), confusing staff, being inconsistent, patronizing staff, giving them unclear job descriptions and reporting lines, avoiding consultation, excluding them from any involvement, and being negative yourself. In spite of a few dangers, these methods infallibly bring results.

Citation

Line, M.B. (1992), "HOW TO DEMOTIVATE STAFF: A BRIEF GUIDE", Library Management, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 4-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435129210009832